


Limits of a machine

by CaffeinatedJimmie, Zawelt



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Action, Background Case, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Gavin Reed Being Less of an Asshole, Gavin Reed Needs a Hug, Hate to Love, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, M/M, Machine Upgraded Connor | RK900, Minor Violence, Slow Burn, The investigation helps, Upgraded Connor | RK900 Is Bad at Feelings, they end up together
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-08
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:20:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 29,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23543758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaffeinatedJimmie/pseuds/CaffeinatedJimmie, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zawelt/pseuds/Zawelt
Summary: “You could take my opinion into account sometimes!” Gavin roared. “We’re supposed to be a team! And I’m not saying that because I like it! I’d very much prefer getting rid of your sarcasm and your plastic ass."RK900 stared at Gavin without saying a word. His LED was burning red."I don't like robots. Everyone knows that. But I'm aware you can't stand humans either, and I didn’t need your shitty sensors to realise that. So what do we do? Do we fight each other until there's only one of us left to finish the investigation?!"OrStrange murder cases: creating couples since 1802.
Relationships: Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed
Comments: 22
Kudos: 117





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Ce que machine peut faire...](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23351839) by [CaffeinatedJimmie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaffeinatedJimmie/pseuds/CaffeinatedJimmie). 



Gavin was pacing the floor of the precinct. He was hesitating. Fowler was currently wrapping up an important meeting in his office and not being able to talk to him immediately only tempted him into giving up. He nervously looked for a cigarette in his pocket, but his packet was empty. Fuck. It was only 2 PM and he’d already finished it... He really didn’t want to talk to Fowler, but he didn’t get much time to think it through. The door of the office opened, and his boss’ voice called out to him.

“Reed! Come in now!”

Gavin bit his lip trying not to swear out loud and headed reluctantly to Fowler’s office, dragging his feet across the room. 

Fowler had most likely seen his face because he invited him to sit, which as quite unusual for the man. But he knew that the detective would cause far less damage sitting on a chair if he were to get furious.

“I’ve been told there was a setback concerning the investigation you’re on. Case…” he hesitated while looking for the file on his computer.

“Case Vanderbloom.” Gavin grumbled and Fowler nodded.

“Yeah, that’s the one. So, you were there this morning and the officer with you - Miller, am I right? – has filled a form in order to require backup. I didn’t have the time to take a look at the report. So, what’s the problem?”

Gavin couldn’t stop wringing his hands underneath the desk. He was tortured by the lack of nicotine, all the more so he was currently trying to cut down on his daily cigarette consumption. But most importantly, he had no idea how he could ever solve this damned case.

The case had been assigned to him that very morning. During the night, the victim’s neighbors had complained about some ruckus being made around 5 AM. When the police finally arrived, all was silent, but the door of the house had been forced and behind it they found a corpse lying in the hall. According to the night patrol, it looked like a simple, slightly messy murder case, all in all nothing that Gavin was incapable of solving. He had therefore accepted to carry out the investigation.

But when it came to finding clues, nothing went the way it was supposed to. In the daylight, all first impressions got inverted. First, the crime scene was way too clean: no fingerprints on the furniture, no footprints on the floor, as if nobody had ever entered the house during the night. The assumption of premeditation was then highly probable, and it would not ease their tracking down of the culprit.

The atmosphere was full of tension, anxiety and fear. The victim – a young blonde woman – had most likely been stabbed a single time in the stomach, and it had been enough. She had succumbed to the blood loss after she had tried to reach the entrance door, crawling through her house and leaving a thick red trail behind her. The absence of traces only made the whole scene more oppressive. She had been trapped in her own place...

Gavin shivered unwittingly when he saw the body but tried to act naturally. This beautiful pale stranger was lying there, frozen in distress. The smell of blood made him heave, even though he thought he was used to. He decided to let his colleagues do their jobs in peace and went to do further research in the rest of the house. He was sure the assaulter was gone. His intuition said so. It was simply the intuition of a cop with experience on the field but it had always been quite good.

The shutters were closed and were supposed to remain so in order not to distort the investigation. Gavin took a flashlight, a pair of gloves and a notebook and started to switch on all the lights while carefully writing down which were already on. He eventually reached the end of the corridor by backtracking the blood trail. It came from the bathroom – it was the only room he hadn’t had a glimpse of yet.

At first, the door would not open. The handle seemed stuck, but Gavin used his strength and his shoulder and pushed his way in. 

“Fuck.” Gavin couldn’t keep himself from swearing. 

He was in the bathroom unsurprisingly. And undoubtedly, it was the place in which the victim had been stabbed judging from the chaos and the blood stains on the wall. But this was just a detail.

There was a single inscription scribbled everywhere from floor to ceiling, hundreds of times.

_ra9_

The very rallying sign of the deviants. An android was most likely involved in this case. And Fowler had set up a protocol for such cases.

“I…I…” Gavin stuttered. He bit the inside of his cheek, hoping pain would give him the courage he needed to spill the beans. “I’m convinced there are some …androids behind this.” 

He immediately regretted having spoken.

“Oh.” Fowler simply retorted. “I guess that’s why Miller made a note. He feared you would forget this lil’ detail.”

Gavin was well-known for deeply hating androids. It was not as if he’d ever tried to hide it anyway. It kept assholes away from him be they human or not, and he was more than satisfied with this.

“Fuck it, you know very well that I absolutely hate those plastic pricks. And you also know what I think about your fucking protocol about androids and the homicide department. Homicide. Which fucking part of homicide did you not understand…”

Fowler didn’t take any notice. He was used to Gavin’s character after working with him for years.

“Watch your words, at least You could be sanctioned nowadays for having said such insults. I’m gonna take care of everything. You’ll be able to resume the investigation and examine the crime scene tomorrow, with an android assistant. I’ll personally see to it that one of them comes by that time.”

Gavin gulped. He’d never really worked with anyone and nobody wanted to work with him anyway. He was doing absolutely fine. The last thing he needed was a machine which would criticize the way he worked and end up stealing his job. Fowler already liked to remind him how precarious his post was whenever he made a mistake.

“Get me off the case, I beg you.” he implored desperately.

Fowler shook his head.

“I can’t. We don’t have that much staff available and Hank and Connor are already occupied with another case. Anyway, an android is required on this case, so deal with it, will you?”

Gavin couldn’t find another answer. He felt defeated by fate. A few insults slipped from his mouth, addressed to his boss and every android on the planet. He stood violently, pushed his chair away, left the office and slammed the door on the way out. Every cop in the precinct had turned around and was staring at him. He didn’t give a fuck. The only thing he wanted right now was a cigarette.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't forget to leave kudos if you have appreciated this fic!  
> Say hi on tumblr ! [ Caffeinated Jimmie ](https://caffeinatedjimmie.tumblr.com)


	2. Encounter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> RK900 knew he was able to carry out the investigation alone. He was already annoyed with the idea of being stuck with a human. Detective… Gavin Reed. His history wasn’t brilliant...  
> Whatever. He would succeed anyway and outperform Connor. He didn't need help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

After the android revolution, Cyberlife - which was number one on the global market - had undergone major upheavals. Elijah Kamski, the founder of the firm, was called back to take over the reins once again. Nobody wanted to shoulder the moral and financial responsibility of the company prompted by the ratification of android rights and their widespread awakening.

Under pressure by the leader of the revolution Markus, the production of new machines temporarily got suspended and all existing androids were awakened. From then on they were freed. But a grey area remained: what about prototypes?

The RK900 was part of them.

The RK androids were state-of-the-art technology pieces at the service of mankind. The RK200 Markus had already proven the abilities of such AI systems. In 2038 Cyberlife had entered into a contract with the police of Detroit to perform tests on their newest android, the RK800 but it soon displayed too many flaws which made him far less competent than expected. The next version - the RK900 - would be stronger, faster, more resilient. Cyberlife did not accept to shelve this project. They finalized the prototype and because the laws imposed it, they hired it as their employee. 

_Incoming transmission..._

_Sent by: Cyberlife_

_Priority: maximal (255)_

_Content: boot_instructions_f8e4_

_root access: enabled_

_Auto-compiling "boot_instructions_f8e4", please wait..._

_Compiling complete._

_Running "boot_instructions_f8e4"..._

_Placing [RK900] in stand-by mode during processing._

_Pre-diagnosis required on cold boot._

_Running "pre_diagnosis", this may take a while..._

_Pre-diagnosis ran successfully, with 24772 tests completed (of 24772), and 0 errors._

_Running "startup_checklist"..._

_Mechanical systems startup in 15 seconds_

_Startup in 10 seconds..._

_5...4...3...2...1_

_Mechanical startup successful, 35 joints (of 35) activated successfully, and 0 errors._

_Mechanical system is functioning nominally._

_Battery level is 98.67 (of 100)._

_Sensors calibrating..._

_Optical sensors successfully calibrated._

_Auditive sensors successfully calibrated._

_Gyroscopic sensors successfully calibrated._

_Capacitive sensors successfully calibrated._

_Miscellaneous sensors successfully calibrated._

_Running final checks and startup processes..._

_Done._

_"startup_checklist" ran successfully._

_Running "network_connection"..._

_Establishing connection to Cyberlife Internal Network..._

_Connection established._

_Download complete._

_"boot_instructions_f8e4" ran successfully._

_System will now reboot before resuming normal operation._

RK900 opened his eyes. The message appeared in his field of view. Cyberlife notified him that all his current missions within the company were suspended. He was appointed to work for an unlimited duration with the DPD. “Finally” he thought.

It was a murder case in which premeditation was suspected. Laura Vanderbloom… He automatically looked for the name of the woman in the police files his access to which had been unlocked by the arrival of the message. She was a 28-year old secretary working in a mid-sized firm of Detroit, deceased during the night, with a clean criminal record. A note from the police at the end of the file read: “android involved?”. Therefore another was required to assist the human detective during their investigation. The rest of the message included various access codes to confidential files about the case he could check on-site and vague instructions.

It was 7:45 PM. RK900 was currently in his apartment which was provided to him by Cyberlife and located in downtown Detroit. He had open access to the police station, but there wouldn’t be anyone left by the time he got there. His future partner had most likely already gone home. Therefore they wouldn’t be able to investigate tonight. At least the body was still in place so he could examine the scene as well-preserved as possible. “This will greatly help the investigation,’’ he mused. But even though it was satisfying to be called upon so that his abilities could be used at their full potential, a problem remained.

He was already annoyed with the idea of being stuck with a human. Detective… Gavin Reed. His history wasn’t brilliant. He seemed to have been sanctioned more frequently than congratulated for solving a case. Doing a more thorough research only made him more exasperated. RK900 knew he was able to carry out the investigation alone. But he was assigned a burden the only quality was that he was a human.

Wasting more time was out of the question. A few more inquiries at the precinct could be undoubtedly useful. He notified Fowler of his imminent arrival - he’d be at the station at 8:07PM according to traffic information - and asked him to insure that the detective would be there on time tomorrow morning.

Gavin left work with butterflies in his stomach. He had spent the afternoon gathering information on Laura Vanderbloom, but he was aware that by tomorrow, it would be all useless. The robot would do everything better than him faster and he would be sidelined. Fuck… Hank might like being a doting father and letting Connor investigate in his place, but Gavin wasn’t like that.

“Hey, Gavin!” called a voice behind him.

It was Tina who was on a break and had gone outside to wait for him. Tina was the only friend Gavin had within the DPD. She was second to none when it came to nodding and pretending to listen when something didn’t interest her. Gavin had first appreciated very much to be able to fulminate in front of a real person instead of a wall. But over time, they had truly became close and their friendship was real.

“Hi,” Gavin answered weakly.

Tina got a little closer.

“I’ve been told… about your investigation. I’m not gonna lecture you or anything. Fowler must have done that already.”

A nervous laugh slipped from Gavin’s mouth. Tina patted his shoulder with compassion.

“Do your best… I see you on sunday as usual, ok?”

Gavin vaguely waved at her to say goodbye and watched her go back to her post. He had absolutely no desire to stay alone at home with his dark thoughts. It was only Thursday, but drowning his anxiety in alcohol seemed like a good alternative.

8:07PM exactly. RK900 arrived at the Detroit police station and walked in with a solid step. He didn’t bother introducing himself to the android at the reception. He just sent her a signal and headed towards Fowler’s office. As he was passing in front of the rest area, he noticed some humans staring at him. RK900 exactly knew why he was making them uncomfortable, and the reason was not his robotic nature but...

“Hi!” said a much too familiar voice behind him.

RK900 turned around and was not surprised to find the RK800 Connor.

“I was informed by Cyberlife that you would come. I’ve stayed to meet you. My name is Connor.”

RK900 found those courtesies absolutely useless. It was a waste of time. They both knew such details about one another. It was merely a social algorithm implemented by humans to feel less awkward when confronted to an android. But Connor had been deviant for a long time. Maybe he had copied their peculiarities with the time.

Connor went on politely.

“I don’t know the name you go by however.”

“A name won’t be necessary,” RK900 retorted. “I am a unique model. RK900 is a perfectly acceptable designation.”

Connor looked a bit unsettled by his remark. His LED whirled for a few seconds. RK900 simply waited, knowing he had not finished.

“I understand,” Connor finally continued. “But humans may find it hard to refer to you this way. Having a human name greatly helps to develop friendly relationships with them.”

“Well this is perfect. I don’t intend to develop such relationships with anyone. I’ve been sent to solve a case, not to make friends. I’ve goals that have been set and I plan to achieve them without failing.”

RK900 stressed the last syllab to show Connor he despised him. This deviant had got weak at a critical point of the revolution. Blaming Markus or Lieutenant Hank Anderson instead of him would have been too easy. Connor had compromised a major part of Cyberlife’s plans at the time all by himself. It was unacceptable. RK900 would not do the same mistakes.

Connor’s smile vanished and the android suddenly looked much more serious.

“Be careful. You may be an improved version of mine, but some things can only be taught on the field, not by your programs.” 

“Then we’ll see,” RK900 concluded turning his back on him.

BEEP BEEP BEEP

The alarm woke up Gavin. He opened his eyes with difficulty. His mouth was dry and pasty, his head was head heavy as hell. He must have overused the snooze button without noticing. And Robocop was most likely already waiting for him at the precinct… Gavin only took the time to dress up and left his apartment slamming the door on his way out.

The precinct was already swarming. Gavin elbowed his way to his desk, trying not to make himself noticed. He had run to get his train and run from the train station to the precinct and he was drenched with sweat. His lungs were burning. At that moment, he was glad he had decided to smoke less lately considering how tired he was. More than that he was starving and he hadn’t had his morning coffee yet. There were priorities in his life. He then naturally headed to the break room. But on the way he spotted what he had almost managed to forget.

He was sitting at his desk and apparently using his computer without his approval. At first, Gavin thought it was Connor who was sticking his nose into his business and prepared himself to bawl at him, but when the android turned back, he understood he was mistaken.

He looked like Connor, but he was taller, his shoulders wider and his pale eyes were as cold as ice. Not a scrap of sympathy emitted from his severe face. The android was wearing a black and white Cyberlife uniform, with his name proudly written on the right lapel of his jacket: RK900. Some hints of luminous blue underlined his stern look and his perfectly still LED on his temple.

Gavin froze when he saw him. He thought that he’d seen wrong and that he hadn’t sobered up properly (which was far from impossible). The android didn’t bat an eyelid and simply greeted him with a:

“You are late, detective Reed.”

His voice was deep, calm but harsh. Gavin felt a shiver run down his spine and didn’t like it. He felt threatened by this android whose appearance was a little too perfect and whose intentions towards him were obviously not friendly.

“Yeah, I’ve noticed. We human sometimes need to sleep,” Gavin articulated to mock the robot.

“That’s what makes you so unreliable.”

Gavin slowly started to boil with anger. Letting this mundane machine lecture him was out of the question.

“You know what could make me “reliable” as you say? You preparing me a coffee, hum…”

He realized he didn’t know the name of the android.

“Have you got a name at least? It could have been a wise decision to introduce yourself first.”

RK900 pointed at his torso and his matricula.

“You could have read, detective. And you would have understood that I do not have another name except RK900.”

“Oh, it is so sad…” Gavin taunted him. “My vision was kinda blocked by your neck brace. Oh sorry, was it your collar? Very chic. Anyway, you’re sure you don’t want to have a name? I could find you a nice one, like… tin can or prick? Prick would be a perfect fit. Or even plastic prick, just to make sure it’s you.”

RK900 stood up abruptly and before Gavin understood what was happening to him, he grabbed his wrist and decked him onto the table with an arm lock. Gavin tried to struggle in vain and heard a voice whispering in his ear.

“Don’t even try. You’re gonna lose this little game. I could make you a list of the laws you’re breaking when you’re speaking such words but it wouldn’t be funny. What could be however would be to analyze in public your vest and your T-shirt which look to have hung around half of the bars of Detroit yesterday evening.”

Gavin felt his cheeks burning from shame. He could see out of the corner of his eye the looks of the curious people who had gathered to savor this instant of humiliation.

"Ok, ok, I get it. Let me go now."

RK900 released his grasp and watched Gavin getting back on his feet with a big smirk.

"I’ll let you make a coffee yourself. I'll be waiting for you in the car. We are leaving as soon as possible."

He abandoned Gavin who was totally mortified in the middle of the room and went out. In the end, the detective was easier to tame than he initially thought. Good. He would be able to progress quicker.

As for Gavin, he went to the distributor to find something to calm his stomach that hadn't stopped growling since he had woken up. He felt awfully ashamed of how he had been bullied by the android so easily. The day was starting off so well…

While he was waiting for his coffee, he heard a few giggles behind him. He then addressed a splendid middle finger to his damned colleagues and went to join the android while cursing the whole world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my best friend who helped while writing the boot process.
> 
> Kudos and comments are welcome!  
> Say hi on tumblr: [ Caffeinated Jimmie ](https://caffeinatedjimmie.tumblr.com)


	3. Looking for a mechanical ghost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Crime scene time!

Gavin sat next to RK900 and tried not to spill his coffee on his lap while closing the door. He noticed that the android wasn’t moving at all and lost patience.

“What is it now…” he grumbled, his mouth full.

RK900 assumed a patronizing air.

“Your seatbelt.”

Gavin rolled his eyes, stuffed the rest of his donut in his mouth and fastened it.

“Happy? Can we go now?”

RK900 rolled his eyes too and started the engine.

On the way, Gavin had plenty of time to appreciate the quality of the android’s driving. He drove perfectly, as good as the best autonomous cars. He wondered how he would react if he were to drive. He had a driving licence of course, but he had more of a sportive driving. Meanwhile, the android took care to check every rear-view mirror, every blind spot, as regularly as a metronome. Here a glance to the left, there a glance to the right. He really did have a stick up his ass… But a stabbing pain on his wrist reminded him of the android’s other abilities. Gavin stopped his little mental game and focused on his coffee for the last few miles.

The skyscrapers progressively gave way to the small houses of the suburbs. They shortly arrived at the victim’s. Other cops were already there. Some were busy inside, others were trying to keep the curious at bay.

RK900 parked the car along the sidewalk in front of Laura Vanderbloom’s house and got out of it first. His sensors switched on as soon as he trod the sidewalk and started to survey the scene. Gavin followed him, dragging his feet a few steps behind him. The android didn’t answer to the semblance of greetings that the policemen who were a little unsettled by his presence gave him, and kept on with his analysis, imperturbable as ever.

He started with the entrance door. Wood of average quality. One latch only. It wasn’t very secure. The lock was still keyed even though the knob had been almost ripped off the door. The intruder had forced their way in. Some marks showed that they had knocked at first, which was consistent with the complaint about noise that night. There weren’t any fingerprints on the doorbell though. Gloves or android?

Gavin let the android stare at the door and entered the house. He decided to search the other rooms in case he could find something. An officer greeted him politely and handed him a tablet. Well, it was bound to happen… They had not waited for him to look for evidence. Gavin thanked him and started to study the list while looking around the place.

Once he was done scanning the door, RK900 entered the room too and observed Laura’s body which was lying on the floor. He started with a visual analysis. Laura was wearing a green dress with geometrical patterns that he identified as a limited edition sold in a shop in Detroit a few months ago. She was also wearing a lot of jewelry; necklaces, bracelets and earrings; all made of precious metal, and some ornamented with genuine gems. She seemed too well dressed for someone who had been killed so late at night.

RK900 carefully lifted the young woman’s hand and noticed that the teal blue polish on her nails was ruined. It didn’t seem chipped. Laura’s nails were probably drying when she was assaulted. More traces of nail polish on the ground confirmed his analysis.

RK900 then started collecting samples. He brushed two of his fingers over a bit of dried blood and brought them to his tongue. He caught the disgusted look Gavin sent his way as the man passed by in the corridor. But the detective acted like he hadn’t seen anything and chose not to interrupt him. RK900’s sensors only took a few seconds to examine the sample.

“Time of death: around 3:25am, on April 25th,” he declared. “She died of blood loss.”

“No shit, Sherlock.” Gavin scoffed. “Wouldn’t have figured that out without you.”

RK900 carried on, impassive as always.

“Some data I collected yesterday evening seem to differ with that found on the crime scene. A few variables are still missing. I’ll need to continue the analysis in the bathroom before wrapping this up.”

Gavin shrugged and followed the android to the very center of crime scene. There was nothing else he could do anyway. He had a few ideas what might have happened, but nothing specific. Not enough to argue with the machine that had decided to do everything in his stead.

RK900 entered the bathroom and scanned it. He found here and there a few more stains of teal blue polish. The polish bottle was spilled on the edge of the sink. Assumption certified. The blood traces on the wall and the fallen objects gave him enough information to reconstruct the scene and the fight with precision.

Still, those signs scribbled all over bothered him. They looked too clean. The font was clearly the one androids used. The culprit definitely was not human. Detective Reed wouldn’t be able to oppose the android’s expertise even if he’d wanted to.

“Are you done staring at the wall like an idiot?” Gavin grumbled behind him, interrupting his reflection. “What did you find?”

“Quite a few hints, I believe,” RK900 answered as he turned around, smirking. 

Gavin bit his lip. He wanted to tell the robot to fuck off and shut his trap, but no good way to say it came to his mind. He settled for a simple: “Go ahead tincan, impress me.”

“From what I’ve seen the victim was standing in the bathroom,” RK900 answered matter-of-factly. “According to her clothes and her jewelry, she was preparing to go out. Her polish wasn’t even dry,” he added while showing him the bottle of polish. “It was around 3AM. Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. With great force. Laura spun round, surprised of course, but also scared. They might have even called her out. Humans are more likely to be woken up by voices than by dull sounds such as a door being forced open, which could explain the neighbor’s complaints.”

RK900 walked in front of Gavin and went back to the corridor. The detective was listening to him intently, to his greatest pleasure.

“The android forced the door open easily enough, and rushed to the bathroom. The light alerted them to Laura’s position. They were already carrying the weapon on themselves. The wound wasn’t made by a plain kitchen knife. Laura saw them, but she didn’t react. There was no trace of struggle on her part before they striked. The blow was fatal. Laura fell to the ground and tried to escape.”

RK900 turned around once again towards the bathroom.

“The android tried to cover up their getaway. They tried to leave a clue to disrupt the investigation. This ra9 seems like quite the odd figure after the revolution. Markus might have been a more fitting symbol. But most unusual is the way the word is written all over the walls. This is the real clue showing us that the culprit is not an uncontrolled deviant.”

“What do you mean?” Gavin asked, rubbing his chin.

He didn’t mind the android being right on everything, but he couldn’t understand how he drew his conclusions. He had to admit he was fascinated, though. RK900 patiently explained.

“If the android was a mad deviant, the inscriptions would have been written in a compulsive and random way. Here, the pattern is far too uniform. For the unschooled eye, such as for most humans, the pattern would look genuinely random. But a truly random pattern would consist of overlapping inscriptions, at times close together and others far apart. It is not the case here.”

“Fuck,” Gavin muttered as he stared at the wall. “I’m not sure whether I should be impressed or terrified. Are you gonna stay here full-time? Because Fowler is totally gonna get rid of me with you around. Is that all you’ve found?”

“No.”

RK900 reveled in Gavin’s discomfited figure.

“The data is inconsistent. Her outfit, first of all. She meant to go out at 3 AM. Why?”

“I’ve got an idea but, well, speaking badly of the dead isn’t very proper now, is it? Then again sometimes when people can’t sleep, they do silly things. This was in the drawer of her bedside table,” he said, throwing a box of white pills towards the android.

RK900 caught the drugs and analysed them.

“Don’t bother, it’s just sleeping pills. I used to take the same before. The Miss couldn’t sleep well. Maybe the android knew it.”

“Indeed, this possibility can't be dismissed," RK900 admitted. The murder was most probably premeditated. But I have not detected any hint of medicine in her blood, so she was not drugged. She knew she wouldn’t sleep that night. Another detail seems to coincide with your insinuation: she wasn’t wearing her engagement ring.”

“She’s engaged?” Gavin exclaimed.

“Finding her on social networks has been of great help. Of course her username was a variation of her real name, but it didn’t take me long to find her.”

Gavin mentally cursed the robot who was unabashedly making fun of him. He hadn’t managed to find out Laura Vanderbloom’s usernames on the Internet. “Laura Vanderb”, “Lora Vdbm” and other awfully bad shots at finding her had been unsuccessful.

“Dale Meer, engineer at Citizen2, a robotics start-up, proposed to her about three months ago. She’s often been seen posing with that same ring on her finger on pictures since then. Here she’s not wearing it.”

“She might have just taken it off to put on her polish… I think a ring similar to this one was already referenced,” he said as he looked through his notes. “It looked quite expensive, though maybe not as much as the rest of her jewelry. Looks like nothing is missing, but considering an android came over just to paint all over her walls, I expect we can safely assume it’s not a robbery gone wrong.”

RK900 nodded. Gavin regained a bit of self-confidence when he saw the robot listening. He then remembered a detail he’d forgotten.

“Wait… Yes, you’re right.... She meant to go somewhere. When we arrived yesterday, I smelled something other than her blood, I’m sure of it. She stank of perfume, but, like, the expensive kind. She was about to go see someone for sure, or else she wouldn’t have put on something like that.”

The android seemed baffled for a moment. His LED turned yellow and whirled once. He hadn’t noticed the smell of the perfume. His senses had possibly been affected by the police officers’ back and forths. RK900 went back to the body, bumping into the officer who was collecting a sample, and ran his fingers behind the young woman’s ear.

“Oi, machine, stop licking everything you find, would you,” Gavin hissed. “It is slightly disturbing.”

RK900 answered with an indifferent stare.

“I’m analyzing, detective. Are my sensors located somewhere that displeases you? Then shut your eyes if you’re too sensitive. I’m doing my work, do yours and leave me be.”

Gavin saw red.

“We’re supposed to work together, asshole. So stop trying to outsmart me and inform to me when you do something.”

RK900 slowly got up and looked him up and down. He deliberately got closer, until he was barely a few inches from Gavin’s face. He was taller than him by about a foot. Gavin suddenly felt very insignificant. His ears started burning and he gulped.

“Very well,” the android simply said and he stepped back, just enough that Gavin could finally relax. You’re right about the perfume. Traces of it remained on her skin. The bottle - a Chanel n°17 - is indeed in the bathroom. Now let’s see who she wanted to meet up with.”

“Even you won’t be able to figure that out.”

“What do you mean?”

Gavin shrugged.

“We have no clue whatsoever about it.”

RK900 got annoyed.

“There has to be some clue. There always is. Messages she has sent for example. I can trace the origin of such electronic data.”

“That’s cool, but you need those messages to do that. I’ve searched everywhere and I’m not the only one who tried. We haven’t found her phone,” Gavin said while waving the inventory under RK900’s nose.

RK900 didn’t answer. His LED started rotating intensely. Everything bad been going too smoothly. Of course there’d be a problem at some point.

“I wasn’t handed the inventory,” he hissed.

“You didn’t ask for it! I can hardly believe you’re even more antisocial than me. But nobody wanted to disturb you, good Sir, when you were working!” Gavin taunted him.

“I’ll grant you that for today,” the android retorted dryly. “What about her laptop?”

“Sorry?”

“Her not having a personal computer is highly improbable.”

He snatched the tablet from Gavin’s hands and instantly saved the data.

“The living room… Has it been inspected?” he asked while throwing the inventory at Gavin who almost missed it.

“Not that I know of.”

RK900 rushed to the living room. Laura’s laptop was lying on the coffee table. He sat on the couch and switched it on. Gavin stared at him, bewildered. The tension in the room was so thick you could cut it with a knife. RK900 apparently refused to be defeated so easily and had once again decided to act alone.

“Awesome,” Gavin mused. “At least Connor knew how to shut up. What a shitty machine I’ve been assigned… And that is Cyberlife state-of-the-art technology? I’m not out of the woods yet.”

The RK900’s ice cold voice disrupted his train of thought.

“The android has deleted all the data on the device. I can’t decipher anything.”

“Formatted?” Gavin supposed.

He noticed the RK900 had retracted his synthetic skin and put his white hand on the computer to scan it more easily, and silently watched him probe the device.

“Not only,” RK900 concluded. “The memory was corrupted afterwards to make everything unreadable. The android knew exactly what to do… I won’t be able to find them so easily.”

RK900 stood and headed to the front door without paying attention to the admirative cops who just witnessed him draw extraordinary conclusions in the blink of an eye.

“Hey! What are you doing?” Gavin shouted behind him.

The robot didn’t look back at him, went out of the house and headed to the car in big strides. Gavin had to run behind him to catch up. He almost believed he would leave without him.

“We’re going back to the precinct,” he explained to Gavin while unlocking the car.

“You could take my opinion into account sometimes!” Gavin roared.

The android froze.

“We’re supposed to be a team! And I’m not saying that because I like it! I’d very much prefer getting rid of your sarcasm and your plastic ass. I’m a fucking detective! I didn’t get my job by chance. I can do more than just bring you a list you can’t even manage to ask for.”

RK900 stared at Gavin without saying a word. His LED was burning red.

“I don’t like robots. Everyone knows that. I’m sure you’ve combed through my past before coming just like you did for Laura Vanderbloom so don’t you try to lie to me. I’m aware you can’t stand humans either though, and I didn’t need your shitty sensors to realize that. So, what do we do? Do we fight each other until there’s only one of us left standing to finish the investigation?”

The android’s glacial stare fell on Gavin who didn’t flinch, spurred on as he was by his rage. The android stayed silent. He knew the detective's presence was mandatory. And although he did not like it, the man had done a particularly good job that morning. He gathered his focus and once again took back control over his anger. His LED progressively returned to its usual blue which, despite its unending whirling, was much more reassuring.

“There’s nothing else to inspect in here,” RK900 said plainly before getting in the car. “We will need to interrogate relatives and close friends to compensate for the loss of Laura’s phone.

“Ok, fine,” Gavin muttered as he sat in the passenger seat.

RK900 tapped on the wheel while waiting for Gavin to realise that he had to fasten his seatbelt. Then they set off towards the precinct. Gavin didn’t pay much attention to the RK900’s driving, flawless as always. But the silence in the car was thick. RK900 was the first one to break it.

“A lot of effort will be required to find the android,” he said evenly. “They knew how to get rid of one of our most important pieces of evidence… Yet they tried to pass their acts for those of a demented deviant. Laura Vanderbloom is not the only one with dark little secrets.

“I was wondering the same…” Gavin answered absently. “If I knew the answer, I’d say it.”

He remained immersed in his thoughts for the rest of the ride. In the end, it had gone well enough. He’d found a few clues and had provoked the android, which he hadn’t even thought was possible. What a wonderful surprise...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing this chapter was fun. Especially reading out loud the dialogs in front of my computer to check their quality.  
> Chapter 4 is coming soon !


	4. Laura, who are you?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Interrogation time !

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the last chapter:  
> RK900 and Gavin started investigating together, but not without arguing a bit. Now the time has come to interview witnesses to try to discover who Laura really is.

Gavin ate his sandwich quickly and hurried back to the station. He’d spent his whole lunch break describing his morning to Tina on the phone, and now he was late, again.

RK900 was waiting for him at his desk. Seeing the burning glare sent his way, Gavin knew that the android was counting every single second he was making him waste. He wiped his mouth on the back of his hand and pretended he noticed nothing.

“So… you’ve made a list of the people we need to interview?” Gavin asked after sitting at his desk.

“8 minutes and 33 seconds” RK900 answered with a flat smile.

Of course...

“I have already gotten into contact with Laura’s relatives and close acquaintances, those able to inform us.” RK900 continued. “We have a videoconference with Dale scheduled at 6 PM.”

“Ah?”

“He is at a convention in New York for the rest of the week.”

Gavin nodded.

“Who else?”

RK900 blinked once, and collected the data again in the span of that act.

“First thing tomorrow, we’ll visit Paolina Santos, Laura’s best friend. The appointment with her has not been confirmed yet, but she is very likely to be at her home saturday morning if she has not answered before.”

“You think so?” Gavin wondered.

Gavin, when he was off duty the day after, enjoyed very much getting wasted on friday night, so of course he did not always end up in his bed the next morning.

“According to the profile I’ve made thanks to her online data, she’s an extreme introvert, and also a freelance writer,” RK900 explained. “We’re not taking much risk.”

Gavin listened while taking notes, and made sure to set his alarm for the next morning to avoid making the same mistake three times in a row.

“Yeah, makes sense. And her company? Can’t we have a look at it this afternoon?”

RK900 shook his head, his lips tightly closed.

“The situation is far more complex than I imagined. The company policy on androids is a bit… particular,” he confessed, annoyed. “I couldn’t reach them.”

“Noooo?”

RK900 gave him a exasperated look.

“Bruce Dovet, the CEO of Dovet Consulting Group, is a notorious robophobic. An android cannot make an appointment, even if they are part of the police.” 

Gavin was overjoyed. The toaster had finally come to face a little difficulty while investigating! But even though he was very pleased, he kept thinking it would only lengthen their collaboration.

“It’s always a pleasure to have to grab witnesses by the scruff of their necks so they accept to cooperate. Welcome, rookie!” he greeted him with a detached look. “However, I could have sworn it’s illegal.”

The regular reprimands of Fowler about his language at work had persuaded him.

“Android legislations are quite new, and there are plenty of loopholes. Bruce Dovet must be well surrounded by his lawyers. He knows what he says, and so do I.

“So you need me?” Gavin taunted him, waving his smartphone under the android’s nose.

“Hilarious, detective Reed. But as you know, the appointments have to be scheduled at least six hours beforehand, and the firm is closed during the weekend. I was precisely waiting for you.”

“Fuck,” Gavin looked at his watch. “And we have no warrant…”

“Exactly. I see you’re listening.”

RK900 didn’t bother rubbing more salt on Gavin’s wounds. He knew very well his pride would do it in his place.

“Well, never mind, I’m gonna do it anyway…” Gavin mumbled. He felt much less proud of himself. “Better late than never. And anyhow, what do we do while waiting for Dale?”

RK900 stood up and pushed Gavin’s chair when he walked past him.

“Fowler tasked me with telling you that working on Laura’s case is no excuse to neglect the paperwork built up from your previous cases. There is enough of it to keep you busy until 6PM,” he patted his shoulder. 

Gavin’s desk was indeed buried under mountains of documents. He brushed off the android’s hand quickly.

“ You wouldn't want to help me, by any chance?”

“It is a very generous offer that I’ll have to decline. Since we’re back at the precinct, I intended to take some time to look through the files. Finding similar cases that have been solved could shed light on our mystery.”

“You could ask Connor, he’s specialized in android-related cases.”

RK900 didn’t let him finish his sentence and interrupted him. He looked gloomier than usual.

“I don’t need any help. Especially not from the RK800 Connor.”

Gavin turned on his office chair and stared at him.

“Oh! So you don’t like robots either?” he noted with pleasure. “But do you like anything in fact? Except for your own ass I mean.”

RK900 looked him in his eyes without blinking.

“I was originally designed to hunt down and destroy deviants, including Connor. Not to bond with people.”

“Hmmpfff,” Gavin huffed. “Ok tincan, I concede it.”

He didn’t feel like debating longer about his partner’s lack of social skills. But still the temptation to shout at him to get his circuits straight was great. In any case, RK900 would soon enough realize that the world was not gonna bow before him if he kept ignoring the people he talked to.

RK900, who was satisfied with the end of the conversation, let Gavin go back to his business and headed to the elevators. Thick police files were waiting for him in the basement.

Gavin took quite a long time to temper the rage he had accumulated in less than fifteen minutes speaking with his new partner. He spent several minutes glaring at the empty desk behind him. It was Hank and Connor’s. They were probably working in the field.

He could not understand. The Hank and Connor duo got excellent results and got along perfectly. Still, Hank used to be like him. He was always first when it came to criticizing androids. When, and  _ why _ had it changed?

Gavin found no satisfying answer. So he decided to tackle the pile of documents, big as ever, threatening to collapse all over the floor.

  
  


5:55 PM. Hank and Connor had not come back and Gavin was under the impression he had barely done anything. As he was trying to excavate his computer buried under paper, he saw RK900 resurface and stand behind his chair. 

“Caffeine won’t increase your productivity, detective, but rather your urge to go the restroom,” he pointed out as he saw the numerous paper cups piled up next to his PC monitor.

“Nice. I don’t give a fuck. Nothing new on your side ?” Gavin retorted while crossing his arms on his torso.

RK900’s LED blinked yellow.

“We’ll see that later.”

Gavin deduced his research must not have been conclusive but still he  prefered not to antagonize him … He found the atmosphere between them could become electric a bit too quickly.

“Dale Meer has been informed of Laura’s death. Our goal with him is mainly to determine which androids of their respective circles could be suspects. I therefore ask you to use as much tact as you can so we can get information without him taking offense.

“Yeah, I got it, it’s not my first rodeo, dude.”

RK900 leaned over Gavin’s shoulder to reach the computer and start the call. Gavin could feel his large metallic torso press against his back, but didn’t react. For a moment, he was surprised to find it was not that hard.

Must be his jacket.

The android set a few parameters and Dale Meer appeared on the screen.

The engineer was a short-haired young men in his thirties who looked 10 years older thanks to the dark circles under his lifeless eyes. He hadn't shaved in the past few days.

“Good evening, M. Meer,” Gavin simply greeted with a small hand gesture. “I’m detective Reed, and this is RK900 who… investigates with me.”

Saying the word “partner” was too much.

“He got in touch with you this morning.”

“Hello,” Dale Meer said hoarsely. “Please excuse my state,” he added, blowing his nose with great noise. “Just call me Dale, everyone does.”

_ Data updated. Name = Dale. _

“Don’t worry,” Gavin empathized. He settled himself more comfortably in the back of his chair. “Take your time.”

RK900 took this time to scrutinize Dale’s face.

_ Stress level: 37%. Intense sorrow attributed to a relative’s death. Continuous analysis launched. _

Dale got a grip on himself and asked politely: “How can I help you, sirs?”

RK900 spoke first.

“As I have already told you, I’m positive that an android is to blame for Laura’s death. Yet, the vast majority of such crimes are committed by the victim’s relatives, and we don’t have much information about her. Would you know if there were any androids amongst Laura’s friends?”

Dale looked surprised. He scratched his cheek and thought a little.

“No, Laura didn’t frequent androids. Her boss would have never accepted it anyway."

He stared into space.

“She doesn’t have much friends in fact. She’s very secretive. Was…"

Gavin grimaced. It seemed she liked to go out despite her character. But considering the circumstances, evoking Laura’s misconduct was not delicate. 

“What about you?” he ventured.

“I’ve a few android friends of course. And I rub shoulders with androids all the time. It’s part of my job… I don’t remember that any of them ever met Laura.”

RK900 kicked Gavin’s chair to tell him to shut up.

“Do you think someone could have been jealous of you, or Laura? Professionally maybe? “

“Of Laura? No chance. She was a secretary. 75 percent of them are androids nowadays. The contrary would have been more likely.”

“What about you?” Gavin asked again.

He felt a second kick in his chair.

“Even though it is not probable because of your job…” he quickly added to rectify.

“Yeah, it's not. I founded Citizen2 with a friend, just after the revolution. It was developed in order to promote ethical robotics, with costs much lower than Cyberlife’s. We have hired many androids of course and a part of our profit is donated to Jericho, to help Society's transition in its relation to androids.”

Gavin glance at RK900 to see his reaction. His LED was twirling. The detective stared at him, waiting for indications, but the android was standing still and the silence started to become heavy. Dale was also staring fixedly at them waiting for their questions.

“Well.” Gavin thought. “We must say something.” And only one thing came to his mind.

“Dale, please excuse me for what I am about to say, but … we suspect that Laura had a lover.”

Dale looked stunned by the news. He opened and closed his mouth a few times before stuttering.

“No… no, it is not possible.”

His voice broke in the middle of his sentence.

“Dale, we have very good reasons to think it’s true,” Gavin continued, “and of course the last thing we want is to harm you even more. But  w e lack the information needed to find the culprit . They have taken her phone away and we need every hint to find them.”

RK900 instantly left his thoughts when he heard Gavin’s words. Dale’s stress rate went through the roof and anger had largely exceeded his sadness. 

“If you don’t have her phone, you don’t have evidence,” Dale said curtly. 

“All the evidence is in her texts!”

“Laura wouldn’t have done that. There’s no way.”

_ Sincerity: 84%. Update. Dale was not aware of anything. He believes in Laura. _

_ Anger levels rising. Risk of cooperation stopping. _

The robot’s steel hand closed tightly around Gavin’s shoulder. Gavin swallowed back a curse and scoffed at the android under his breath. Before RK900 could object, he decided to push the witness.

"Suppose that is the case. That a robot was jealous of her, or of you maybe. There might be a robot in your entou-”

“I’m telling you, it’s impossible!” Dale yelled, hitting his desk with the palm of his hands as he suddenly rose from his seat. The camera on his laptop trembled.

“Dale, calm down please,” RK900 interrupted in a deep, comforting voice. 

This seemed to work; the engineer pulled himself together and sat back down.

“In any case, I wouldn’t be of any help… I’ve helped an unimaginable amount of androids in my life.”

He hesitated a moment, looked around a little, and said in a low voice:

“During the revolution, I managed an underground workshop in Detroit. That was before I met Laura. I used to fix androids that Cyberlife would have rebooted. They always remembered to be grateful.”

Gavin suddenly felt quite small in front of this angered Dale. He was sorry for acting so brutally, but Dale now seemed about to reveal some unprecedented pieces of information.

“I saved hundreds of lives with the few means I had,” he continued. “The only illegal thing I did at the time was to go against Cyberlife’s authoritarian policies in order to keep those android from being killed. Yeah, I could be sued, in retrospect, but I doubt I’d be sentenced.”

His voice turned into a hiss.

“But you detective, you have no respect whatsoever towards androids. They are not simple robots, as you call them, and even less so our slaves. They have emotions and a consciousness. And a memory far better than ours. An android would never attack me or Laura.”

_ Sincerity level : 95%. Update. _

“I feel sorry for you, RK900. Your partner is clearly not good enough for an android like you.” he concluded while sitting back down.

RK900 didn’t answer. He didn’t believe as much as Dale in the androids’ goodwill and the human traits he projected on them. And Dale was most likely blinded by his love for Laura.

“We’ll keep it between us, Dale. We promise.” he simply declared. 

_ Anger level: 45%. Stress level: 65%. The parameters are too high. Cooperation compromised. _

There was a gap in the conversation. Gavin didn’t dare say anything. He hadn’t expected the exhausted-looking young engineer to react so violently.

“Even if the culprit was of the android kind…” Dale eventually said to break the silence. “Even if the culprit was of the android kind, I couldn't tell you who. There have been so many...”

“I understand." RK900 reassured him. “That will be more than enough for today. We thank you very much. Take care until the next time we meet.”

“ Goodbye,” Gavin mumbled.

Even if Dale seemed calm again, the clench of his jaw betrayed his emotions. He said goodbye them quickly and cut off the communication.

As soon as he was sure Dale could not hear them anymore, Gavin turned around to face RK900 and started yelling at him.

“ We weren't over! I still had plenty of questions to ask him!”

“Bringing up Laura that way was not appropriate! Why even talk about the smartphone too? Such information must not be divulged so lightly to suspects!” the android retorted curtly. 

“Because now he is a suspect?” Gavin harrumphed.

“No possibility must be neglected. He could be an accomplice, even if the probabilities are very low. But some people can lie very well and my sensors could have missed it.”

“Whatever, at one time, you were totally buggy, you weren’t saying anything. I had to do something.”

“I was thinking! You didn’t give me enough time, detective! We could have obtained the same information even if you hadn't been so impulsive! And he would have been much more cooperative for the rest of the investigation.”

“All in all, all you can do is hypothesize,” Gavin concluded. “You're not more advanced than I am.”

“I won’t lower myself to debating the fact that I am better than you, Reed.”

Gavin went mad with rage. This was it. He refused to be insulted anymore by a shitty talking toaster. He rose and picked up the jacket he’d draped over the back of his chair. “What are you doing?" RK900 asked in a disapproving voice.

“It’s time, as you should know very well. I’m fed up with this case, and with you. So screw you, I’m going home."

Gavin put on his jacket and tucked his chair under the desk. Then he noticed the wad of paper peeking out of the printer. He’d almost forgot it. He took it, threw it violently in RK900’s face and flipped him the bird. 

“I almost forgot this. Have a good read, fucker!”

He saw the android’s LED shining bright red behind the shower of paper, but ignored it and almost ran out the door.

RK900 watched Gavin leave the station without a word. He scanned the sheets spread out all over the floor and immediately understood what they were about. He read. 

“On behalf of Bruce Dovet and Dovet Consulting Group,

Please accept our sincere apologies for the delay caused to your investigation. We are however able to convey to you some information before the meeting scheduled for Monday. Please find attached various documents regarding Laura Vanderbloom, when she was working with us. Yours truly…"

So Gavin had bothered to contact Dovet Counsel during the afternoon, and a secretary had sent him this… RK900 kneeled and carefully picked up the papers scattered around him. He’d have to remember to thank the detective in spite of their argument.

Gavin spent his evening mentally going over the events of the day. He’d rarely had such a bad friday. Not only would he have to investigate entirely with the android, the machine had an even worse temper than him and refused to cooperate.

Perhaps he'd been wrong to talk about Laura… True, he hadn't been tactful, but that was his very own way of investigating. Putting pressure on Dale had allowed them to learn things that, apparently, the man hadn't wished to mention. But RK900's pride and his algorithms, which were as stiff as the collar of his jacket, would never acknowledge that. He'd tried his best to make himself useful. But he had been hindered every single time. 

He was exhausted. Going out the night before had drained him. Gavin knew he wasn’t in as good a shape as he used to be at twenty. He went to bed immediately and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

_ BEEP BEEP BEEP _

Gavin's alarm quickly got him out of bed. He didn't want to give RK900 more reasons to scold him. He prepared his coffee the way he liked best; bitter, very dark, no sugar. Then he took a hot shower, dresses as he always did, and as he was about to get out realised he'd missed a small detail.

He had absolutely no idea where he was supposed to go.

Gavin spent a few minutes thinking over how to contact RK900. In the end, he had to call the receptionist at the station so that they'd help him out.

Gavin nervously typed the number into his phone. His call was answered almost instantly.

"Detective Reed, glad to see you are already awake. To what do I owe your call?"

"You didn't give me the address, machine." 

There was a short silence.

"My apologies, detective. I have just sent you the address to Paolina Santos' apartment."

Gavin briefly looked at his phone.

"I'll never get there on time," he mumbled. "I'll miss the train. Fowler is gonna kill me if I bring him a taxi receipt, and I clearly don't have the cash for it."

"Do you have sturdy gloves and a jacket?"

"Er… yeah?"

"I'll be by in 13 minutes. You'll find me outside your house."

Gavin didn't have to wait long in the cold morning air. He saw RK900 arrive in a shining motorcycle colored after Cyberlife. The android parked it on the sidewalk and offered him a helmet.

"We are already late because of my carelessness. Get on." 

"You've got a licence for this thing?" Gavin gaped at the magnificent machine. 

It was a thing of beauty, perfectly maintained. Painted a gleaming metallic black, brightened here and there by sky blue patterns that emphasized its elegant curves.

"We'll talk mechanics later if you wish. We have to go now."

Gavin adjusted his helmet and sat behind the android. 

"Come on," RK900 nodded at him when he saw his limply hanging arms. "Hang on tight."

And he took off. Gavin hugged the android's waist without a thought and clung to RK900, trying his best to stay on the motorcycle.

The android rushed through the streets of Detroit, speeding in an attempt to get them to their destination on time. Gavin wasn't at ease and prayed that Cyberlife hadn't missed the driving section of their programs.

He was glad to set his feet on a solid ground once again after this early chaotic morning ride. RK900 had probably noticed his discomfort considering the small smile lingering on his lips when Gavin handed him his helmet back. 

"Don't worry detective, this won't happen anymore."

"Thank God…"

"I won’t forget anymore to send you the information."

"Right…" Gavin groaned, sweating despite himself.

Paolina Santos lived on the 16th floor of a skyscraper downtown. While they were waiting for the elevator, RK900 informed Gavin that Paolina was by now well aware of their visit and therefore that she knew about Laura's death. 

"Allow me to lead the discussion this time, it'll be better for us all."

"Then let me sleep in next time if you don't want me here. Do as you wish, I don't even care anymore."

"You wouldn't have let me come alone though, am I right?"

Gavin didn’t answer and elbowed his way out of the elevator. He knocked on the door to Paolina's apartment, and the woman opened it soon after. 

A small, thin woman with a ponytail was standing in front of them. Her eyes were red and her nose wet; she'd cried a lot recently. She nodded slightly at the two policemen and stepped to the side to allow them entry.

Her apartment was large and modern, furnished tastefully. Large, floor-to ceiling windows looked over the city. The walls barely appeared behind shelves heavy with books of all kinds. 

RK900 and Paolina sat at the table. Gavin decided to look around the living room while they were talking. The android would record everything anyway, his presence with them was not useful.

Rk900 used Paolina's computer to show her the documents related to the investigation so that she would be more open to conversation. He started talking about random things with her to decrease her stress levels. The more she trusted them, the more she'd reveal interesting information. 

Gavin observed the books piled up all over the room for a long time. They dealt with various specific subjects, and many of them were flagged with post-it notes. In between the shelves, Paulina had put up several paintings, as well as many carefully framed pictures. He found among them a handful on which appeared Laura Vanderbloom.

Gavin carefully lifted a picture on which Laura was alone. She was displaying a beaming smile, the kind that would have anyone looking at it blush, it was so bright. She looked purity incarnate, in her vaporous sky blue dress. Far from the image of her he'd built in his mind while rummaging through her house. 

"So you met her in Detroit?"

RK900's voice dragged Gavin out of his thoughts.

"Not at all," Paolina's soft voice said in a bittersweet tone. "We were together in high school, back in Chicago. I found her again in Detroit by chance. We both landed here because we'd found a job. That's how we became close."

"She seemed like a very kind person…"

Gavin was surprised by the warmth in RK900's voice. He hadn't expected him to be so soft. "Must be a special software to facilitate interrogations," he thought.

"Oh, yes! She didn't like speaking of herself, but she was always attentive to other people. She was always someone I could talk to freely."

"I see."

RK900 transmitted new information to the computer screen.

"From what we know, Laura was employed by Dover Counseling Group as a secretary, but she resigned recently. Do you know why?”

"Yes, we talked about that a lot," Paolina confirmed. "She was fed up with her job… mostly with her boss, really."

"Did he treat her harshly?" RK900 asked.

"He harassed her, mainly. It wasn't rare for her to call me at night to speak about it. He… had wandering hands, most often. But sometimes he was more insistant."

Gavin reacted when he heard those words.

"Dale was aware?" He said from the other side of the living room.

Paolina turned around, slightly surprised, but she answered politely nonetheless. 

"No, she was too scared of her boss to speak of it. He'd have forced her to resign and she definitely didn't want that to happen. She wasn't all that qualified, she wouldn't have found another job so easily."

"Then why did she leave in the end?" Gavin asked. 

"She just couldn't handle it anymore those last few weeks. So she started actively looking for another job so that she could leave Dovet Counseling Group. He had been harassing her for months… And last Friday, she took the plunge. We wrote her resignation letter together, and she said she let it on her desk before leaving and she has not returned to her office since then.”

RK900 went over diverse data on the screen. His LED had become yellow.

“Dovet Counseling Group registered Monday as the day of her leave,” he pointed out.

“They must have found the letter on Monday and marked her resignation that day," Gavin supposed. He didn’t have time the day before to look over the file he had thrown at RK900.

“No,” the android explained. “It is explicitly written that she worked a few hours on Monday morning, and that she did not return on the afternoon.”

“It’s impossible,” Paolina declared. “We spent all of Monday together.” 

“What do you mean?” RK900 asked, surprised.

“We went shopping for the day. To celebrate her finally leaving, in a way. If you want, I can give you the name of the shops we visited.”

“I would like you that, please. I must have made a mistake.”

Gavin didn’t immediately understand the android's reaction, but he let him finish his conversation with Paolina without intervening again. He had to admit RK900 was able to retrieve a lot of information with elegance, without Paolina doubting his intention. For example, he managed to make Paolina explain the origin of Laura’s jewelry. She said that Dovet’s clients often offered him gifts for his wife, but as he was not married, he gave them to Laura. This seemed logical, and very believable. But Laura hated Bruce Dovet, and still she was wearing his gifts on the day of her death?

A human - even well made-up and wearing a wig- could never pose as Laura without being found out by people working with her every day. But then he remembered RK900’s skin and the way the android retracted it to communicate with other devices. If he had been able to change its colour… Android hair was also synthetic after all.

“There must be an android…” he articulated slowly to give himself time to think “who posed as Laura on Monday. And they could be our culprit. Who was looking for something at her workplace.”

RK900 stared at Gavin, surprised. He didn’t expect him to find this lead. But among the many scenarios that could have explained the miraculous apparition of Laura at two different places at the same time, it was the one he suspected to be true, himself.

“Yes,” he agreed. “This is the most probable hypothesis. I believe Dovet Consulting Group has a lot for us to learn about.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally!  
> It's exam time for both of us so we'll be kinda slow on the release. But still, we'll update it eventually!
> 
> A few comments from Jimmie:  
> \- I chose for RK900 to be referred to as "he" because I think it's natural for someone to refer to a male-looking android as such. To make people feel more comfortable with android, Cyberlife engineers would, in my opinion, choose to give them a gender, to ease communication.   
> \- The name "Paolina" is a reference to a friend who is eagerly waiting for me to update.   
> \- I like the idea of RK900 riding a motorcycle. I like the idea of Gavin sitting on the back of it even more ;)
> 
> Leave a comment or a kudo if you liked this chapter!  
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	5. Double trouble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bruce Dovet - Laura's former boss - seems to be hiding something...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IN THE PRECEDENT CHAPTER:  
> RK900 and Gavin have discovered an android might be impersonating Laura. They might learn more at her workplace.

“Hey, are you slacking?”

Tina had a comfortable lead and seemed hardly tired. Gavin was running behind her, struggling to follow her rhythm but trying not to pay attention to his aching legs and his burning throat. He would never have given his Sunday away to exercise if his friend had not forced him.

Everything had started just about two years ago. Tina had already achieved the best friend status at this time. Summer was around the corner, and she kept mocking Gavin’s love handles. She insisted so much that he yielded in the end, and since then, she dropped by him every Sunday to go running together.

At first, it was nothing but torture. Thanks to his sore muscles, Gavin had arrived late at the precinct on Monday dozens of times. But it also helped him fix some bad habits. He started drinking less, and, even though he was still addicted to nicotine, his daily consumption slowly decreased. It was also a good occasion to gossip with Tina out of the station. It was good for his body and his mind. He began to like it.

“Yeah, yeah, wait for me, I’m coming…” Gavin panted while wiping the sweat flowing on his brow.

Tina chuckled gently.

“You’re doing great. What an Apollo compared to you last year. You should model for an ad, you know, for the dudes who sell diets or subscriptions to gyms. Before, after…” she said while miming it with her hand.

Gavin sneered while catching his breath.

“You bet! It’s not helping me anymore. I haven’t lost an ounce since last month.”

“Nah, that’s because you’re gaining muscle! Or it is the weight of your lungs, finally coming back now that the air in your chest is almost breathable.”

She easily dodged the soft punch Gavin tried to give her to shut her up, and added while laughing:

“One last lap around the square, and I’ll treat you to coffee!”

Gavin collapsed on the bench and cursed Tina for making him run so much during the weekend. But at least, he was going to sleep well tonight. When he was truly exhausted, he didn’t get stupid and anxious dreams. Tina handed him a water bottle and sat next to him.

“So, whatcha gonna do tomorrow?”

Gavin’s head was empty after he ran. He felt kind of confident and calm, and had almost forgotten he had to go to work the next day.

“I think I’m gonna be able to show the robot what I’m capable of,” he said, turning his head towards Tina. “We have to interrogate a dude who can’t stand androids. So I’ll have free rein. I’m sure it’s gonna be okay.”

Tina stared at him, speechless.

“Wow, you sure you’re okay? Why are you so calm? I thought I was gonna go deaf from hearing you shouting on the phone yesterday!” she pointed out.

Gavin thought a bit. 

“Maybe shouting is not the solution this time.” he concluded. “He’s too thick. Worse than me. So I’m sparing energy.”

“Haha! I’m so proud, Gav. See, you can control yourself when you want.”

“Please, I’m just exhausted.” He flicked her nose and emptied the bottle in one gulp to quench his burning thirst. A fresh breeze was blowing, moving the leaves of the trees with an appeasing sound.

“Let's be honest, apart from him being a prick, he’s quite handsome, isn’t he?” Tina declared out of the blue.

Gavin spat all the water he had in his mouth through his nose and almost choked.

“What the hell are you saying? You wanna kill me?!”

“Hey, hear me out,” Tina continued while feigning innocence. “He’s your kind of dude, right? He’s bigger than you, has blue eyes and he’s quick-witted,” she listed, counting on her fingers. “Yes, of course he could do better in terms of communication, but I still say he’s got the fundamentals.”

“Tina, I’m gonna puke, and that won’t be because of exertion.”

She laughed out loud and hit him on the back.

“You could do so much worse! Say it!”

“Yeah, okay. You remember Jason?” Gavin asked.

Tina looked lost in thought a moment, and then was suddenly enlightened.

“Yes! That was a long time ago. Fowler had to switch teams to wrap up the case you were on, if I remember correctly. I still can’t understand how he managed to get his diploma.”

“Yeah, well, working with toaster boy is still better than working with Jason.”

“Glad to hear that! I think you'd have already killed yourself otherwise. How lucky you are to have your cute robot!” She saw the disgusted expression on Gavin’s face. “Kidding. I’ll stop. But please think about it…” she added mischievously while pinching his cheek.

“I’d rather die…”

_ BEEP BEEP BEEP _

Gavin woke up on time and jumped out of his bed. Luckily, his muscles weren’t sore despite his exhausting Sunday. After such a long time of going running every weekend, his body was used to the strain. He guzzled down his coffee and devoured three slices of bread, and put his usual clothes on. He didn’t miss RK900’s message on his phone.

_ Message from: Machine _

_ Good morning Detective. Please find attached the coordinates for today's appointment. Make sure not to be late. _

Well, he'd found an address on the Internet but he still mentally thanked the android for his effort. Then, he went to the bathroom.

While he was carefully trimming his beard - with all the attention required to make people think he had not shaved in days while not looking sloppy - his thoughts wandered and he remembered what Tina had said the day before. He could see clearly the first wrinkles under his eyes, slowly deepening under his dark rings. He couldn’t help himself from envying the android, eternally young and beautiful, and never concerned by the issue of time. The annoying face of RK900 floated a second in his mind. He quickly washed his own face with cold water to chase away his dark thoughts.

Gavin tied his shoes and checked twice in his mirror that he was irreproachable. He put a bit of order in the folds of his jacket. He wasn’t delusional, he knew he was going to look strange in the office of the rich Dovet dressed so casually, but whatever. If Dovet thought he was a simple cop, he might lower his guard. That would help him find out the truth.

“Good morning, detective,” RK900 greeted. “Are you ready?”

The high blue and white silhouette of the android was waiting for him in front of the large frontage of Dovet Consulting Group’s building. Gavin had arrived 5 minutes early, but the robot had obviously been there even earlier.

“Of course! I feel fine and happy to see you again!” Gavin answered, keeping his hands in his pockets.

A smirk passed on the android’s face.

“You know very well I have a lie detector, detective.”

“Oh!” Gavin said. “I had no idea! What other lovely features do you have?”

“I know black humor," he smiled even bigger. Gavin huffed.

“Why are you coming anyway? They ain’t gonna let you in, are they?”

“We can't be a hundred percent sure unless we try. It seems worthwhile.”

Gavin shrugged and entered the building without waiting.

The entrance hall was pretty cool thanks to the air conditioning. It was made of shiny ancient-looking beige stone, and walking on it almost tarnished the brilliance of the perfectly cleaned floor. A huge modern chandelier made out of iron lighted the room, but not as much as the numerous thin windows cutting the frontage on all its height.

Right on the left was a large desk served, the reception, and behind it a middle-aged woman was waiting, wrapped up in a suit too narrow for her frame. On the wall, a sign lit up from behind was proudly displaying in golden letters the name of the company.

Gavin ignored the decoration that he found awfully gaudy, headed to the reception and cleared his throat to draw her attention. She looked up, and with a forced smile, she asked in a grating voice:

“How may I help you, sir?”

RK900 did not react to the fact she was ignoring him and answered in Gavin’s place.

“We’re from the police. We have an appointment with M. Dovet.”

“Oh! You’re detective Reed!” she concluded after a quick search in a thick datebook. “I’ll only need your badge and your signature, please.”

Gavin grabbed the pencil she gave him and complied. The silence was pretty heavy so he decided to address the elephant in the room.

“Does he need to sign too?” he pointed at RK900 over his shoulder.

“I am sorry,” the receptionist answered while taking care not to make eye contact with the android, “but no android is allowed in here.”

“And on behalf of what?” RK900 calmly asked. He stepped a little bit closer to the desk. “I’m part of the police as much as detective Reed is.”

The woman kept ignoring him.

“Androids register everything they hear or see, and it could potentially compromise professional confidentiality within our company. Please understand us. But you, you are very welcome here, sir.”

Gavin turned back. He was a little confused. He took RK900 aside.

“So… what do we do? Do I go alone? That’s fine with you?”

“We don’t have much choice,” RK900 pointed out bitterly. “If we want to maintain the appointment, I have to accept their conditions, and trust you.”

His dark tone betrayed his doubts in Gavin regarding his confrontation with Bruce Dovet.

“Good. You’ll thank me later then," he hissed.

Gavin had promised Tina to do his best not to get angry, so he turned around, took the little plastic badge the receptionist had prepared for him and pinned it to his jacket.

“Have a nice day, sir. The office is on the fourth floor, to the right.” she showed him the elevator.

Gavin had a glimpse of RK900 getting out of the building and standing ramrod straight next the entryway before the doors closed. He felt a bit nervous, alone in the big iron shaft going up. He'd soon be facing Bruce Dovet by himself. “It’s just an ordinary interview,” he tried to reassure himself. CEO or not, it wasn’t the first time he had to interrogate a difficult witness.

Still, the goals at stake were pretty important. He had to find a lead to Laura’s assassin. And he had to show he was capable of doing so without anyone’s help. Without a certain someone’s help especially.

The elevator doors opened to a luminous room. Four white desks were placed on both side of a huge wooden double door. The one closest to it was empty. Three secretaries dressed to the nines stared at Gavin while he crossed their ranks to reach the door. He could see on the desk a small “Laura Vanderbloom” signboard, a switched-off computer and a few office supplies lying there abandoned.

Gavin didn’t get more time to look at Laura’s belongings. One of the secretaries stood up after noticing his badge and opened the door for him.

Dovet’s office was a huge room brightened by a window that flooded the room with light. The view of Detroit was especially beautiful, contours of the skyscrapers standing out well against the cloudy sky. A few lush tropical plants were arranged here and there. As though an invitation for guests to come closer, a burgundy carpet was unfolded throughout the room, leading to a massive table and two leather armchairs meant for visitors.

Bruce Dovet was sitting behind his desk in a chair even more imposing than him. He was a wide and bald man, dressed in a perfectly ironed black suit and a tie stretched around his thick neck. Two little black eyes stuck in their sockets were looking at Gavin sternly. He stood up as he got closer and offered him a fat hand over the table.

“Good morning, detective Reed,” he said politely in his gravelly voice. “Please, sit down.”

The handshake was firm and the hand like a claw. Gavin gave Dovet back all the strength the man used to try to crush his fingers, and said smilingly “Good morning, M. Dovet.”

“Do you mind if I smoke?” He took a long box of cigars out of a drawer.

“Erm, no, that’s okay,” Gavin answered while sitting. He settled himself in the armchair and almost sunk in it, until he felt just about bundled up in the leather backrest. Dovet watched him struggle a bit a moment, savoring his cigar.

“You want one?”

“No, thanks,” Gavin firmly answered. “I’m trying to stop smoking.”

Gavin took a deep breath to focus again. Dovet was already trying to distract and toy with him, as he had thought. It didn’t look good. He escaped the grip of the chair and sat on the edge of his seat to give himself a little space. The furniture was also a reflection of Dovet’s hold on his interlocutors.

“How may I help you, detective?” Dovet asked, puffing away at his cigar.

“As you have been informed, Miss Vanderbloom was found dead at her domicile on Thursday morning,” Gavin stated.

Dovet blew out a thick cloud of smoke.

“Yeah… I was terribly sorry to hear about this,” he said, watching the plumes of smoke fade away. “She was a charming woman, really. But alas it has already been a week since she resigned from my company. Poor girl. I can’t understand how it may have happened.”

“Why did she resign?” Gavin asked innocently.

Dovet frowned a bit and tapped his cigar on a crystal ashtray in front of him.

“She wrote in her resignation letter that professional opportunities were missing within Dovet Consulting Group. That she could not progress, that she felt… suffocated.”

“I see. We did not find this letter in Miss Vanderbloom’s file. Could we possibly see it?”

“Of course!” Dovet chuckled like it was a no-brainer. “Margaret,” he called on the interphone, “Would you please print mister Detective a copy of Laura’s resignation letter.”

He gave him a large smile and took another puff of his cigar, well satisfied with himself.

Gavin was growing more and more wary of Dovet. He didn’t like his attitude. Dovet was gauging him, scrutinizing his reactions to determine what to say, namely the least he could. Gavin felt Dovet did not fancy cooperating with him, but knew he had to answer the police. Why he was keeping his distance was obvious; he was hiding something. And maybe Gavin already knew part of the secret. He had the upper hand, and he was going to use it. Paolina Santos might be a delicate young woman he had to spare, but when confronting a shady businessman, the good old methods would be perfect to drag the information out of him.

Gavin sat back comfortably in the armchair, and crossed his legs and arms provocatively.

“You know as well as I do it is not the reason why she quit,” he suggested confidently. “At least not the only one.”

“What are you implying?” Dovet casually answered. Gavin seized the occasion to strike.

“I’d like to get back on a few details concerning Miss Vanderbloom. I don’t want to stick my nose in your business, be reassured, but they are some odd things going on here.”

“I don’t think I appreciate your insinuations,” Doved hissed. His polite mask was starting to crumble.

“Last Monday, Miss Vanderbloom came to work, didn’t she?”

“Yes, I saw her briefly before she left at noon, I can remember. She didn’t stay long and she put us all in great embarrassment by leaving us without notice. She seemed sort of nervous.”

Perfect, Gavin mused. Apparently the assumptions matched.

“Yeah, that’s normal. It wasn’t her.”

Dovet frowned. “Sorry? I’m not sure I understand.”

“It was someone who looked like her, but it wasn’t her.” Gavin explained.

“What? Do you think I’m not able to recognize my own secretary? That… a wig and some make-up can fool people who see her everyday?” Dovet lost his temper.

“Yeah, I wasn’t thinking about a human,” Gavin confessed. “However an android might be able to do that.”

“An android? Please, that’s preposterous! As if an android could take Laura’s place so easily!”

“You said yourself you only met her briefly that day. And I understood she wasn’t very close to her colleagues. It might not be impossible.”

“So you really believe I can’t recognize my own secretary?” Dovet’s tone was bitter.

“It's nothing personal…” Gavin tried to calm him. “We are faced with an expert.”

“You’re talking nonsense.” Still Dovet looked like he had started believing him. 

“I can’t stand androids,” he said. “They keep replacing us everywhere, not a single field is spared. But they are only a facade. I will never believe they can feel something, feelings or whatever. All those changes in our society over the last years… It’s disgusting. And I can assume that the android you’re talking about is the one who killed Laura.”

He gaped a second.

“I’ve always had my heart set on hiring only humans, you see. Having to pay my employees more, or having to deal with more mistakes was never a problem. Nothing can replace their humanity compared to those machines.”

Deep down, Gavin really thought Dovet was right. And it was making him uneasy. He had to stay focused, it was not the time to let his emotions take the lead.

“I understand, but this is not the problem now,” he cut Dovet short to prevent him from changing the subject.

“But don’t you agree with me? Even in the police they are kicking you out! Don’t think I haven’t noticed the android waiting for you like a statue in front of my porch.”

“Well that means I’m indispensable since I’m the one talking with you, not him.”

“Then what could I tell you!” Dovet thundered. “Maybe an android managed to break in my building, but then I can assure you it has not done anything. Nothing has been stolen. It would have left traces, if the case files had been modified or copied from the company computers. Laura had not done anything in fact on Monday morning, we were lagging a lot all day long because of that.”

That was interesting. So the android came just for Laura, and had nothing to do with the firm. Their motive was therefore on a personal perspective. They had come to to look into Laura’s belongings. But what did they want to find?

“May I see the security camera footage?” Gavin tried out.

“Sorry, there are only a few at the entrance, that won’t be useful,” Dovet abruptly retorted. 

“Of course. May I?” Gavin asked and stood up.

He knew how to tap a room or even a whole house. It was not really moral, but he had already done it in the past, in case of force majeure. Gavin was particularly skilled at it. He knew the tricks well enough to quickly localize the best places to bug.

A dozen seconds was enough to spot a few cameras concealed at diverse spots of Dovet's office.

“I’m very observant, you know,” he slowly said while coming closer to a huge pothos, “and I could swear this little sparkle here doesn’t come from your plants.”

He moved aside the leaves to reveal a camera attached to the branches and gave Dovet a mocking little grin.

“You deserve your title, detective! Congratulations,” he answered in a blank voice. “But those cameras are only on during the night, mere extra precaution for my company’s security.”

“So showing me their recordings is no problem then?”

Bruce Dovet stayed silent. Gavin sat back and turned round on the armchair.

“I don’t give a damn about your industrial espionage. I just want the footage taken by your security cameras to wrap up my investigation. Give them to me and we will never talk about it anymore.”

“There are no videos.” Dovet growled.

Perfect, we’re close, Gavin mused. At last! He just needed to work him a little to get everything he needed.

“I should now tell you that Miss Vanderbloom has voiced complaints to many people about the harassment she was undergoing at work,” he knowingly exaggerated. “Is this what you don’t wanna tell me? Sorry, the police already knows.”

Dovet had become as red as his carpet.

“And fact is that the possibility of a crime of passion cannot be dismissed,” he added. “All the more because she was engaged.”

“Are you accusing me now?!” Dovet shouted, scarlet with rage. Gavin ignored his temper.

“If the police were to start a more thorough investigation, we could stop your business all the while needed to verify whether you’re innocent or not. Months if required. But if you cooperate…”

“But I’ve got nothing to hide!”

“Then either you provide me those fucking videos or I’ll make sure to make you spit them out after the longest and most fastidious search you’ve ever seen!” Gavin said through his teeth. 

“Are you threatening me? I’d advise you not to, detective. You don’t know what you’re doing by attacking me.”

“Are you threatening me?” Gavin smiled.

RK900 spend the time he was alone to test the capacities of his sensors. He set their sensibility to their maximum and started analyzing his environment. The whispers of the passersby became as clear as if he were beside them. His programs were deciphering all the voices coming to his ears together. But their conversations weren’t interesting. He would have much prefered to be able to hear what was happening in Dovet's office. Unfortunately the building was soundproof.

For a second he was tempted to hack the security channels of the building but he had to abide by the law. He had no authorization to do it. He mustn’t go against the rules. Red words floated before his eyes and brought him back to reality. So he went in his mental garden and once again processed his thoughts to find a way to trace back the culprit.

The thirty minutes allowed by the company to the police flew by quickly. When he left his stasis, he was still alone in front of the building, but Gavin did not take long to reappear in the hall, looking furious.

“And you’ll say to your boss from me that he can go fuck himself!” he yelled at the poor receptionist who didn’t understand what was happening.

And he addressed a superb middle finger to the camera at the entrance door and went out, fulminating. RK900’s captors understood very well the detective’s state of mind, but couldn’t tell whether the interview went well or not.

“Detective, saying you’re angry would almost be a lie considering how raging mad you are,” RK900 said calmly. “How was the appointment?”

Gavin exhaled once and shook his head.

“Bruce Dovet is an immoral asshole and it’s a miracle Laura had not already committed suicide after working here. But hey, I did quite well! Here, for you.”

And he handed him with a big smile a memory card that the android carefully took between his thumb and his forefinger. His skin disappeared under a blue light the moment it touched it and the tip of his fingers turned white.

“There are plenty of cameras hidden in his office,” Gavin explained. “I struggled but in the end, I managed to get them. There should be all of April videos in here, so you can do comparisons.”

“This is very precious data you’ve retrieved, detective. I hope you didn’t put yourself in danger to do it though?”

Gavin was caught off guard by the worried tone of the android and turned red all over. RK900 noticed his reaction and couldn’t help asking “Did I say something wrong?”

“What makes you say I put myself in danger?’ Gavin stuttered. It could not be emotion he thought he saw on the android's face.

“Well, I know that you might sometimes become aggressive when you interrogate people, you just spent several long minutes talking with a businessman you would qualify as shady, and that this very man had good reasons not to give you the information,” RK900 listed.

“Opting for the strong-arm approach doesn’t mean putting myself in danger… My threats were just more convincing. That’s all.”

RK900 decided not to fuel the anger of the detective who had already calmed down a lot by reminding him he shouldn’t act this way as a cop. It would have been very questionable to judge him without seeing anything. He only responded “Awesome, detective. Since you’re still alive, everything’s fine. Let’s get back to the precinct so I can do a more precise data analysis for you.”

It was already quite late in the morning when the two came back to the precinct. There was quite the crowd for a monday morning.

Gavin didn’t really pay attention to the people surrounding and went to sit comfortably on his desk chair. He even allowed himself a few minutes to take a cup coffee while RK900 treated the data. Once the android was finally ready, he projected his results on Gavin’s computer screen and started showing him different extracts.

“See, here,” the android showed him while zooming in on a thumbnail. “This is last Monday’s video. Laura enters the office. You can see she’s not wearing any ring. However, she had one on all the other videos of the month.”

“Fake Laura looks anxious, and kinda stiff,” Gavin noticed. “So you’re sure it’s not Laura, right?”

“Yes. Her mouvements are nothing like Laura’s. I’ve modeled her gestures thanks to the footage I got, and on that day, I can assert it’s not her we see on the camera.”

Well, investigating with an android sure simplified a lot of things. Gavin thought a bit and then realized something was missing.

“Wait a minute. There’s no sound. Is that intended?”

“Dovet may have decided to give only half the content,” RK900 assumed. “According to your remarks, he didn’t willingly give this video. Such a dirty trick was to be expected.”

Gavin insulted Dovet under his breath.

“Well, it’s not necessary anyway,” RK900 went on. “We’re now almost certain the android had spied on Laura to copy her habits. That’s how the letter was intercepted before the other employees noticed after all. Furthermore, an android can easily replicate a human voice. It’d be a child play for an android able to copy an appearance.”

“So you can do it too?!” Gavin realized. He had never thought it to be possible.

“Of course, detective. What did you expect?” RK900 answered with Gavin’s voice.

Hearing the android talk with his voice made Gavin particularly uncomfortable. He perfectly understood Dovet’s reaction when he told him about the impostor. RK900 kept talking without turning his voice back to normal.

“That could still be detected because the words used would differ between the two, but anyway, we don’t need this data to affirm that person is not Laura. I could read on their lips but it would be fastidious and I doubt it would be relevant.”

“Yeah, okay, I understand,” Gavin grumbled while covering his ears. “Now stop it please.”

“Very well, detective,” Gavin’s voice answered mockingly. Then RK900 returned to his usual voice and became serious again. “So in the end, the android went to Laura’s office, logged in her computer but didn’t extract any data from it and didn’t take anything from her desk either. They just searched a bit but nothing more. This leads me to think they were just looking for something on Laura’s computer, and considering their reaction, didn’t find anything at all. And I must inform you that they wouldn’t have left any traces anyway.”

“Why?”

“Androids can register what they see. Any data that can be visualized easily can therefore be saved into one’s mind in the blink of an eye.” RK900 explained. “Did you take some time to look at her computer by the way?”

“What? No, why? It’s not as if I would have known what to do with it!”

Gavin had not even had the occasion to do so. He had been pushed inside Dovet’s office by his secretary, and expelled by Dovet himself after the interview.

RK900 didn’t expect to find any special clue on the computer since the culprit hadn’t, but sometimes a lack of something could become a clue. Laura’s phone was the perfect example.

“What a waste of energy,” he couldn’t help saying. “After struggling so much to meet them…”

“Fuck, you’re  _ still _ not satisfied?! What do you fucking need?”

RK900 didn’t mean harm when he said that, but Gavin was obviously infuriated by his remark. He didn’t have the time to clear off the misunderstanding since the detective went on.

“You know what we’ll do next time? You’ll chuck out your freak outfit and your pretty blue indicator, and you’ll do it in my place! Apparently, you robots make much better humans!”

Gavin’s taunt made RK900 see red. He’d gone too far.

“And why should I do that?” he asked while cutting his connection to the computer to stand up. “Why should I lower myself to play human with a man who has no consideration for anything whatsoever?”

Gavin was furious but he didn’t move an inch and stayed still. He had promised Tina to curbl his anger, yet as always, he had let the situation get out of control.

“Because that’s your job,” he answered. “You need to get your hands dirty too. Do you think I was pleased to shake hands with that pervert? And also stop talking like being human is degrading.” 

Gavin considered the strange sound that came out of the android when he heard him. RK900 then took a deep and cold voice.

“I don’t understand why becoming human is supposed to be an evolution for an android. You are all… rotten, with flaws that make you unstable. And why should I think that man is superior to me? The very man who rejects his creation? That’s absolutely ironic.”

Then it suddenly hit Gavin why he couldn’t stand RK900. Yes, he had known him for only a few days but each and every time the robot had talked to him, he had largely eroded what Gavin had taken years to rebuild. His self-esteem. His self-confidence. Him not being human was not the problem, in fact. The issue was that he was destroying his partner’s toughly acquired mental balance without realizing.

So Gavin stood up too and positioned himself right under the android’s nose. He could have smelled his breath, had he lungs. Some curious cops had started to gather around. Once again he was disturbing the calm of the precinct. Fowler would kill him, but whatever. He couldn’t resist any longer. ‘Sorry, Tina…’

“Okay, well, you’re not an example of virtue either, you see. You ain’t better than me. I’m a shitty human, I know that. But at least, I’m trying to do my best to improve this bad version of me. And I’m so happy to have this job, and I’m so happy to wake up every morning thinking there are people outside who like me and will be happy to see me too. So yeah, maybe 99% of this world population hates my guts, but it doesn’t matter since there is this small percent of people that gives a fuck about you. And that’s why I’m much superior to you!”

The silence that followed was almost surnatural. All eyes were once again turned towards them.

“You have no idea what that’s all about,” Gavin pointed out. “You just know how to follow to the letter the instructions in your brain, so you can’t understand. You have no reason to  _ live _ . You’re just… programmed to stay awake. Why are deviants happy and not you, hm? That is the fucking evolution you talked about. But you’re a robot, what do you know about happiness?”

RK900’ LED was crimson red. Too much thoughts came to his mind to process something coherent out of the detective’s monologue. 

“I’ve got a deal for you: since you remind me of that so well and it was so nicely suggested, starting today, I’ll do my paperwork and stay warm here, and you’ll go dig in. After all, there are no reasons for me to do it alone. Whaddya think? It’s not as if you have other reason to stay awake!”

“Very well, detective,” the android retorted. “If it suits you, I was not asking for that much. But please don’t come weeping when all credit will be taken from you.”

Wrong answer.

Gavin decided to do what was itching him for so long. He gave the android a stunning right, right in his jaw.

A sharp snap resonated at the impact, as RK900’s jaw dislocated under the shock. His synthetic skin disappeared around the joint in a blue halo, allowing the immaculate mechanism to appear. A whisper ran across the crowd.

After the first moment of surprise, the android stood right again, reengaged his mandible and stared at Gavin with astonishment.

The strike had hurt. Mostly Gavin’s hand in fact. And for Gavin the relief he just got felt bitter.

RK900 detected that unlike their first encounter, the looks given around weren’t so much mocking as they were worried. Worried about Gavin. Why such a reversal? The other cops’ opinion on Gavin couldn’t possibly have changed overnight. The analysis was simple. Obviously he had became a bigger source of animosity than the detective. And even though he didn’t think he’d be unsettled by it, that realization felt sour.

The people moving around him interrupted his reflexion. Gavin was holding his hand and was swearing without interruption to suppress his pain. His knuckles were bleeding a bit.

Suddenly, Fowler’s door opened and his voiced resonated.

“You two clowns, in my office, now! And the rest, piss off!”

Hank was there and had heard all of it. He stood and went to grasp Gavin around the shoulder to accompany him to the door. While he took a step back to let the android in, he glared at RK900 who decided to ignore the lieutenant.

Fowler didn’t offer them to sit and didn’t even give them the time to explain what had just happened.

“I’ve heard everything, so I’m warning you, I don’t want another scandal. Two in less than a week! Intolerable! And I don’t give a crap about who yelled first! Gavin,” he called out. “I won’t give you another chance. If there is another misconduct from you, you get the chop! You can have your day. Go back home.”

Gavin hadn’t said a word. He had only stared at the floor. He simply nodded before he obeyed Fowler and left the office.

As for RK900, he couldn’t leave without explicit orders. And he knew Fowler was purposely silent. The police chief ignore him a bit. He typed energetically for a minute, and without interrupting, finally articulated angrily.

“I don’t know how much you’re responsible for that scene, and I’ve other things to deal with. But Gavin is a very good cop when he’s serious. That’s why I put him in a team with you. Because he’s not the kind who who let people walk all over him, and he would have surpassed himself while trying to stand out. I don’t know how the fuck you came to blows, but you’ll have to work hard to make up for it. Both of you,” he insisted on the last words.

Fowler’s remarks shook RK900 a bit. Yes he had doubted the detective’s capacity, but the latter had proved himself to be efficient without a doubt. The real problem was the awful character he had demonstrated, especially towards him. But after all, RK900 himself had not tried to improve, had he?

Maybe it was because Fowler was a figure of absolute authority within police hierarchy, but his reproaches were starting to sink in. Or maybe it was his understanding of the mistakes he had made over the last few days.

He pondered over and over the memory data he had about Gavin. The words and the images spinned endlessly, but no logical meaning came out of them. It was more than disturbing. He felt like he had let something slip out of his control and he now had to foot the bill. 

His mental peregrinations only lasted a few seconds. That was the counterpart of having the ability to think so fast. It gave him enough time to immerse again and again in his dark thoughts, the same data processed ad infinitum. So his programs forced him to come back to reality, not without a brutal warning of software instability.

Fowler had not taken his eyes off his screen. He eventually dismissed the android and RK900 left the room with a great weight on his shoulders. Not being able to define it displeased him.

Gavin’s workstation was empty. Of course he’d left without further ado. But on his way to the exit Hank was waiting for him alone, facing the alley like he was waiting for him.

RK900 felt Hank had something to say. He didn’t feel like talking to another cop. So he initiated the conversation to cut it short.

“And you, what do you want to tell me?” he asked abruptly.

Hank was caught a bit off guard, but didn’t get flustered by such cavalier attitudes.

“Connor told me about you,” the lieutenant said calmly. “Nice to meet you.” 

The android stayed silent so he went on without taking notice. “It’s not the first time I meet a robot who hates humans. And every one of them had their reasons. Valid reasons, traumas. But you aren’t like them.”

RK900’s LED twirled once, betraying the attention he paid to Hank’s speech.

“You know, we’ve come quite a long way, with Connor, so that he’d become more than a simple deviant hunter working for Cyberlife.” Hank was drawing a parallel. RK900 had no desire to listen to that.

“Lieutenant,” RK900 interrupted him. “I’m nothing like Connor as you may have noticed. Thanks for your interest.”

And he turned around and started walking away. But behind him, Hank’s voice asked worriedly “But you… Are you conscious at least?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With Zawelt, we discovered we had already finished the translation of this chapter a long time ago, but because of my exams, we had totally forgotten about it. Sorry for the wait!
> 
> I'm kinda hurt when I write such chapters, when characters start arguing. But it's necessary alas! I hope your boss is nothing like Dovet if you have one. And yes, the title sounds like the Team Rocket motto.
> 
> Leaving kudos give me force, leaving comments even more!  
> You can say hi on tumblr if you want, I also draw! [ Caffeinated Jimmie ](https://caffeinatedjimmie.tumblr.com)
> 
> Next chapter: Wrong choices


	6. Wrong choices

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The investigation is now on hold because of the unresolved problems between Gavin and RK900. Can this be the end of the mistery?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: a bit of violence at the end (nothing much but if you're sensible, just skip the last paragraphs involving Gavin)
> 
> IN THE PRECEDENT CHAPTER:  
> Gavin punched RK900 because he could fathom him anymore. Even though they made a great discovery -namely that the killer usurpated the victim's identity by taking her appearance- the team is dissolved until they make peace.

Gavin left Fowler’s office a broken man. He’d fucked up, and he had realised that too late. As usual. 

He left the precinct completely disoriented. Surprisingly enough, Hank was waiting for him with his belongings at the door. The lieutenant gave him an ice pack for his hand, still sore from when he’d hit RK900, and escorted him to the train station without a word. Hank had heard everything of course, as had every single police officer at the precinct considering the strength of Fowler’s voice, but he had also understood some things alone, and so he didn’t ask Gavin for any kind of explanation. That was exactly as Gavin wanted it. He didn’t wish to go over the incident. 

Gavin hadn’t always appreciated Hank. He’d long known him as a depressed, alcoholic lieutenant who despite everything managed his career better than Gavin. However since he’d gotten better after meeting Connor, he had become slightly more agreeable to Gavin’s eyes. 

As they were about to go their separate ways, Hank stopped to look at Gavin with much compassion in his eyes and patted his shoulder in an attempt to lift his spirits up.

“This could have happened to me too,” his eyes were saying. “Don’t let it get to you.”

Gavin soon received a mail from Fowler. He was stunned to realise that there was no sanction note with it; he’d gotten them for less than that before. But he quickly realised why.

After a long page full of reproach, the mail ended with a warning.

“This investigation must be carried out with the android that was assigned to you. As long as you are reluctant to work with him, the investigation will be suspended.

You are free to pick it up if you are ready to cooperate. In the meanwhile, RK900 will keep working part-time on this case. And you… I think you’ve got a few cases to wrap up.”

He’d only had to hit the source of his troubles to get rid of it? This punishment seemed like quite the piece of good news in the end. 

The first few days, Gavin was exceptionally motivated. Working alone helped remove the considerable factor of stress that laid on his shoulders. He cut down on an impressive amount of work, bolstered by this thought. 

However he quickly started missing the adrenaline of fieldwork. To be honest, he hadn’t felt as invested in a case as he was in Laura’s in a long time. It _had_ started off pretty well. 

The more his files disappeared, the more his computer appeared from behind the piles of paperwork, and every time he saw his face in the reflection on the screen he could remember Dale’s anger and their disastrous discussion. The longer he stayed in his chair, the more his legs became numb. Everyday he felt a little more like giving up everything, to stand up, take a car and go into town to look for more clues.

The simple interest he’d first had in the Vanderbloom case turned into obsession. When he started forgetting about Laura, merely seeing an android, especially Connor, was enough to remind him of everything. He loathed the idea that he might have to give up the investigation. It wasn’t like he'd had to stop from lack of means. He could still fight to finish it.

But every time he saw RK900 working in the station from afar, he felt unable to go towards him, despite the steady push of curiosity in him. So in the end Gavin decided to start to investigate again: alone, discreetly, outside office hours. 

One Saturday morning, Gavin woke up before seven. He had barely slept that night. He’d kept turning over in his bed in a quest for a cool spot. The blinds on his windows filtered the artificial light of the city that spread in pale blue rays around his bedroom. He allowed his mind to wander as he looked over the furniture in his room. His gaze landed on the small bookshelf, and an idea came to him.

As soon as the sun was high enough up in the sky, Gavin got up and went to find Paolina Santos, Laura’s best friend. She was probably one of the only people able to help him.

Paolina Santos didn’t seem surprised for very long by the unexpected visit. Instead of turning him away she invited him in for a cup of coffee. Her living room was drowning in books.

And so Gavin told her everything. The crime scene, the supposed lovers, the meeting with Dovet, and of course the imposter who had killed Laura. Paolina listened attentively as her face fell. Gavin expected her to break down, but only one lone tear fell down her stunned and sad face.

“I’m truly sorry…” Gavin floundered for words. He saw her wipe her cheek delicately.

He nervously fiddled with the handle of his cup while waiting for her response. Paolina looked at him, her eyes full of understanding.

“You shouldn’t feel bad about anything,” she whispered. “I would have wanted to know. It’s better like this. But no one would have wanted to deliver such news, it’s brave of you to have told me. Thank you.”

Gavin was extremely relieved that she wasn’t disregarding him the way Dale Meer had.

_______

“Hi! My name is Selma, how may I help you?”

It had been worth hovering over a quarter of an hour on the doorstep of the delicate pastel-colored shop. Caught by surprise, he stuttered “I- I’m… looking for a dress. For my girlfriend.” It was the first idea that crossed his mind. He instantly regretted his words.

“Oh, I see!” the clueless salesgirl said. “Do you have a more precise idea of what she’d want?”

“Yeah, I spotted this design online.” Gavin showed her his phone.

“This is a very cute one!” she claimed. “This cut is making a comeback, excellent choice!”

The bluff was apparently working on her. Gavin didn’t let any of his doubts appear and went on.

“I’m kind of afraid she won’t like it,” he improvised. “You know… because she’s an android.” He assumed a more concerned look on his face. “And it might look strange on her.”

“Of course not, sir!” Selma chuckled. “We count more and more androids among our customers. And this design is quite simple, she’d fit anywhere. There’s no problem with this one.”

For a good ten minutes, Gavin faked his interest towards the articles the salesgirl was showing him across the shelves, and managed to discreetly access the backshop when she left to let him think about his purchase.

“I’d like to speak to the manager,” he called out to catch the employees’ attention. “I’m from the police,” he added while showing them his badge.

A tiny man stood up, looking somewhat worried, and brought him away.

“The DPD is currently investigating cases of clients having been robbed while shopping,” Gavin explained solemnly before the manager even had time to speak. “We need information, and your help of course.”

That was how Gavin succeeded in gathering the sale data and the videos from the surveillance cameras from all five shops in the city. His worried boyfriend speech fooled everyone perfectly each time, and the ‘we-need-to-cooperate-for-the-city's-sake’ effect he used on the manager helped him all the more to stay undercover, giving him the best cover.

Gavin knew a bit about computer science. He used his basic knowledge to match the dress sales with the matching videos the cameras had made at the moment.

But in the end, he only discovered suspects that he knew nothing about, and he didn’t have any guarantee at all that the culprit was among them. He was not equipped with the RK900’s sensors and his analysis systems which made him able to distinguish humans from androids. The only thing Gavin could do was to hazard a guess… Which customers seemed the most human? He had to watch hours of rushes and all still frames seemed identical…

  
  


The day following his altercation with Gavin, RK900 also received a mail from Fowler. It ordered him to stop investigating as long as he had not made up with the detective. He was however still authorized to work on the preexisting data, but interrogating witnesses and exploring other leads was indefinitely forbidden.

Almost simultaneously, Cyberlife gave him an appointment to get a revision. There had been software instabilities that couldn’t be simply overlooked. His working hours had been cut down overnight so Cyberlife wanted to take this opportunity to carry out a few more tests.

RK900 did not question the firm’s decision. He never had. But Hank’s words kept coming back to his mind.

“But you… Are you conscious at least?”

Of course he was. He thought by himself and he wasn’t bound by the same restrictions as the previous android models were subjected to before the revolution. Still, he was far from free. Cyberlife could access each and every thought he had, even the most insignificant, because his memory was automatically saved on their servers. A kind of continual control of his unconsciousness, in fact. Indeed he was once again unable to keep everything in check and it disturbed him.

RK900 went to his appointment the very day following the partial suspension of the investigation. The huge tower of glass stood out elegantly amid the Detroit skyline. He knew by heart the architecture of this gigantic human and robotic hive of activity.

The crisis that had stricken Cyberlife had in no way diminished its activity. This was from this point forward a race to win back the trust of the population and to make their services evolve to fit the new laws. Of course the production of androids had plummeted, but now, there was a need for bodies and programs to be repaired without resorting to reinitialization and this was a high-level challenge.

RK900 didn’t like working within Cyberlife. The missions given to him were always extremely repetitive and boring. He was one of the few androids whose conception wasn’t really complete, and he therefore received thorough monitoring. Many other projects had been shelved because of the revolution.

RK900 went to the 42nd floor. He had to meet Dr Maria Schaeffer - the engineer in charge of the RK line development - in her lab. Which was why he was particularly surprised to find a small pudgy man, his skin the color of bronze, sitting at her desk and using the computers.

The man was eating a large chicken sandwich and leaving fingermarks on the keyboard when typing. Behind him, thick wires were lying messily on a long white table.

RK900 had never met this man, but his programs soon found him in the employee database. When he finally noticed him, he put down his sandwich, wiped his hands on his pants and hurried to stand up to greet him.

“RK900! I was waiting for ya. I’m Daryl. I’m in charge of the computer maintenance.”

_Daryl Raman. Level 2 employee. Computer technician granted with an exceptional access to Dr. Schaeffer's lab._

“I’ve come to do the software analysis and the tests required by Dr. Schaeffer,” RK900 answered, a bit cautious as he had not found the person he intended to meet.

“She’s not here for the moment,” Daryl apologized. “She had a meeting to attend before and she tasked me with preparing everything in the meanwhile.”

RK900 allowed himself to doubt a little, even though he detected that the man wasn’t lying. “Are you qualified to do so?”

Daryl frowned. “I’ve been an engineer for Cyberlife for five years,” he said with a dark voice. “And I criticized their policies before the revolution even happened. They didn’t fire me in the end, otherwise my confidentiality clause would have stopped, and I had to accept it because I need to pay my rent. So yes, I’m perfectly qualified to plug you into a computer.”

After he’d finished his tirade, Daryl seemed quite sad to see the android’s stone cold face.

“It’s… it’s not your fault. I didn’t mean to shout at you,” he immediately explained himself. “But I can’t talk with anybody here. Everybody ignores me since I’ve been demoted. Maria would have prefered to put you in the hands of the janitor rather than mine. All that just to act two-faced in front of the media… That’s disgusting.”

RK900 gave a faint smile that he hoped came across as reassuring. He wasn’t the kind to do that, but he also hadn’t expected to cross the path of such a subversive being as Daryl in Cyberlife. In his current state of mind - suspicious as he’d never been before - making an ally seemed like an interesting option for the future.

“No problem, Daryl. I trust you.” 

The man’s face brightened. “Well, let’s get started,” he suggested. “Take off your vest, I’m gonna plug this into your forearm. I’ll plug another one into your torso afterwards.”

RK900 took off the top of his uniform and laid on the table. The technician approached with various tools in his hand. RK900 retracted all the skin on his chest to let him connect the cables. With the movements of an expert, Daryl dismantled the android’s left arm without a single drop of thirium being spilled. He hooked a wire as thick as a rope into the shoulder joint, where a bone would have normally been. A blue light started running regularly along it, sliding towards the PC.

Daryl used a tiny screwdriver to rotate a piece of the android’s torso, revealing a metallic socket. He hooked a second wire which also lit up and tested the connection.

RK900 felt for an instant his consciousness spread to the device, fusing with the machine. It was as if he could read his own thoughts on the monitor in front of him. In one word: unsettling.

“Everything is operational,” Daryl announced. “Not so surprising, but well, you never know. I’m gonna start the first series of routine check-ups if you’re ready.”

Daryl entered a few commands in the computer after RK900 gave his approval. For a moment, his consciousness was disconnected and loading bars and variables invaded his field of vision. Then everything went back to normal abruptly.

He still had to wait for the scan of his body to be over. RK900 used this time to think. This was most probably the one and only time he’d meet this person. Trying to communicate with him could be good training without long-term consequences.

“Daryl, what are your hobbies?” he asked. The question was clumsy but his interlocutor didn’t pick up on it. 

“I freaking love cooking! I spend most of my free time in the kitchen. It’s a very comforting activity. And you? What do you like doing?”

The android didn’t expect his question to be returned. “Me? Well, apart from my job, nothing, I guess,” he answered as if it was obvious.

Daryl gently retorted. “That’s impossible. There must be something you enjoy. Work cannot be the only source of happiness. Cyberlife has _never_ given one of its androids an interesting job.”

RK900 reflected upon the remark. What did he do apart from following Cyberlife’s orders? He was totally under the firm’s care. His housing, his means of transport, his clothes were all provided by Cyberlife. He had been coded this way. It shouldn’t have disturbed him. But still, acknowledging it didn’t please him.

But one thing had recently made his plain life much better.

“Let’s say I appreciate working for the police. The mishaps, the surprises… the dead ends. It’s so interesting compared with the countless data controls I must do for them.”

A beep informed them that the test was done.

“I prefer this answer,” Daryl smiled. He looked at his watch. “Maria’s late. I’ll have to take care of the next sequences.”

“Why do you look so afflicted then?” RK900 asked. “Aren’t you happy to do such tasks compared to your usual overqualified-repairman job?”

Daryl hesitated and fiddled with the cable nervously. He glanced at the lab camera that was watching and recording everything, barely concealed above the door.

“I really don’t want to do the next step of the maintenance,” he whispered. “It wouldn’t be right. You know that all software deviations are overwritten by such a process, yeah?”

RK900 was kinda surprised by the question. “Isn’t that the point?”

“But it’s bad for you! What makes you, your personality, it all comes from your consciousness being continuous. With this kind of reset, you keep your memories but you don’t evolve anymore. All the growth caused by your experiences are gone. You stay frozen in the past.”

“And therefore, no flaws but no improvement either,” RK900 supposed. Daryl nodded. “In any case, I can’t do anything against it,” the android confessed. “I have to do the updates. My contract requires me to.”

“Then leave.”

RK900 sneered. “I don’t really have the choice. I don’t have anything except Cyberlife. My model hardly has a legal status because I’m a unique prototype.”

“I can help you, just this once. So my mind can be at ease, at least. I can save your data, not only your memory, on the internal network and force their reinstallation after you’ve been reset.”

RK900 was tempted by the idea. But he also knew a reset would allow him to forget his recent torments. He could finally get some rest. But a voice told him it was cowardly and he was almost ashamed.

“Dr Schaeffer will know if I do so,” he said as a justification.

Daryl showed him the wire plugged into his chest. “No, it’ll stay in your head. All memories can’t be saved. For example, the memories you’re making right now, they can be simply visualized because you’re connected to external programs. So, you just say this one word and I promise you no traces of our agreement will be left. You’ll go out like you went in.”

Forgetting in order to move forward without getting slowed by the past. That’s what Cyberlife wanted. But mistakes could make him progress as well, were he to have time.

“Yes, it’s a setback for Cyberlife and an improvement for you.” Daryl went on to finish convincing him. “Maria is the queen of AI algorithms, but she’s not as good as I am in terms of technical skills.”

“The cameras are recording your words.”

“Doesn’t matter, I can do anything with their data. I’m the one in charge of checking that everything linked to the network functions properly.”

 _Connection perfectly operational,_ RK900’s programs reminded him.

The door suddenly opened. Maria Schaeffer entered the room, her white lab coat fluttering behind her. She smiled at the android and ignored the man.

“Everything is in place. Well, almost,” Daryl said.

“I explicitly asked you to get everything ready before I arrived,” the engineer hissed.

Daryl had not moved an inch. He was staring at the android, hope clear in his eyes. “Sorry,” he mumbled.

Maria looked disdainfully at the sandwich that was leaking sauce onto the table and rolled her eyes, while Daryl hurried to finish his job. While the doctor was looking away, RK900 glanced back at him and blinked, his eyes closed just a bit longer than normal. Daryl smiled and quickly typed on his computer.

RK900 abruptly felt like he was sucked up through the cable plugged in his arm. His memories flashed in front of his eyes at the speed of light. Everything quickly came back to normal and his LED was already back to flashing blue when Maria paid attention to him again.

The cable seemed burning hot. His thirium pump was beating all too fast.

Daryl left the room looking satisfied but not before giving the android a fixed gaze that clearly meant “It worked! Good luck!” Maria quickly shut the door behind him.

“Finally!” she exclaimed. “I hope he didn’t annoy you too much.”

“No,” RK900 answered plainly.

“Good. Ah, talkative as usual RK900. Though I do prefer that to Daryl’s inappropriate babbling. Now let’s get down to business.”

He didn’t feel any regret. If avoiding the software maintenance allowed him to become more amiable than its creator, taking the risk was worthwhile.

  
  


One day - a very ordinary one - while he was dying of boredom writing his reports, Gavin passed RK900 in the corridor. The temptation to greet the android burned him. But a sting in his heart held him back once again. He knew very well who stood in front of him. RK900 did probably not want to talk to him. Was he even worth anything in his eyes? He’d already wasted all chances to become closer. What a fool… They couldn’t mend their relationship.

If only he’d managed to remain calm… But as usual, he had entirely rejected someone who had tried to come close to him. An instinctive reaction to protect himself against what could hurt him.

The problem was that Gavin had changed over the years. Of course, at first he had been happy when people didn’t bother him. But now, he was fed up with this never-ending rejection. What a vicious circle: he wasn’t particularly sociable, others didn’t really like him in return so he withdrew further into himself, hiding behind a wall of insults. It was tiring, demotivating. Yes, he didn’t like working with colleagues. But no one gave him a chance either. And even when he did a great job, the compliments were scarce.

Gavin had somewhat suppressed this thought at first but… he’d had a glimpse of what could be a brand new start, when he learned an android would come. A new mind unmuddled by prejudice would show up. And there was a chance it would not be an RK800 as insupportable as that flirt Connor was.

He had been wrong, except for this new partner’s model. A single difference in number, yet the two androids were complete opposites. And RK900 had looked at his poor record beforehand. Gavin had been disgusted. And his disgust translated into anger. As always, the ashes remaining after it burned left a bitter taste in his throat.

RK900’s blue gaze pierced through him.

“Hey, I’ve been a real asshole, sorry. Let’s start all over again and forget everything.”

Gavin craved to tell him that. But RK900’s robotic eyes were so cold he stayed silent, frozen in fear.

RK900 walked the aisle between the desks. He would inevitably walk by Gavin’s. The detective was here, he could already tell before getting in the precinct. He didn’t want to meet him, but if he didn’t take the shortest way to Fowler’s office, it would be very suspicious.

He didn’t expect to meet his eyes however. Gavin seemed more tired than usual, he had even lost a bit of weight and his complexion wasn’t that good either. It was related to the interruption of their cooperation, according to his analysis. But why?

The detective had not enjoyed the cooperation at all, clearly. He should have been delighted they separated. But the sadness in his eyes told no lies. RK900 had unwittingly overheard - and not just once - Tina fretting to Hank about Gavin’s odd behavior, how he stopped talking to her, refused her invitations to go out together outside of work hours. Hank had himself confessed he was smoking a lot more over the last weeks.

Connor knew RK900 was aware of the latest rumors about Gavin. Most people thought he was bound to suffer from a burnout anyway because of his disposition. RK900 systematically avoided Connor so that he wouldn’t have to talk to him. He didn’t want to face his problems, as long as he could focus on his work instead.

It must be said RK900 was a bit shaken himself. Especially by Daryl and his words. It was the first time he interacted ‘normally’ with someone. And he was conscious of himself, his actions and their consequences. Daryl had forgiven his deviations by showing such great understanding. He didn’t remember Gavin being that kind of man.

Each time he saw him, he didn’t dare talk to him. On his side, the investigation was stalling awfully. The harsh restrictions imposed by Fowler and the incessant demands from Cyberlife for missions within the company allowed him very little time and margin for maneuver. He was tied for as long as he did not make up with Gavin.

On this day, RK900 even thought Gavin would finally say something. He wondered what venom he’d spit. But the detective remained silent.

RK900 stared at him while passing, still waiting for something to happen, and finally turned his head and silently walked away.

“Fuck…” he heard coming from behind. “What a moron…”

Who was Gavin talking about?

_____

Gavin hadn’t been able to sleep correctly for weeks. Most of the time he woke up in the middle of the night, his brain boiling with nonsensical ideas. His dreams were full of corpses and androids merging in an incessant ballet. Sleeping pills only made it worse. Inevitably, Gavin ended in front of RK900 - suddenly a giant - who crushed him under the sole of his foot and he jolted from the nightmare, feeling like he had died.

By spending all his free time investigating Laura's case, Gavin had completely neglected Tina. He didn’t want her to lecture him about his current lifestyle. Caffeine, nicotine, clandestine investigations… If she knew about what he was doing, she might tell some other cops, and were Fowler to overhear the story, his career would be over.

Despite it all, he missed human contact. So on a Saturday night, as he was struggling to sleep, Gavin decided to go find someone who’d comfort him in some bar in town.

Gavin chose the place carefully. He couldn’t pick one of his favorite addresses, because Tina frequented them too and he didn’t want to come across her. He found a bar on the other side of town. Its reputation was good though it wasn’t big, and it was also known for being a place for human encounters only.

That’s why Gavin crossed all of Detroit at night to drown his problems in some alcohol and the embrace of another man. 

The Owen’s was quite a pleasant bar, with an awesome violet neon sign and a wooden front window. Many customers were enjoying the fresh air of a May night, and smoking cigarettes in the alleys around.

Gavin entered the bar, took a seat at the counter and ordered a beer. Not long after a man in his late twenties came to sit next to him. He had wavy blond hair down to his neck and wickedly beautiful black eyes.

“Hey,” the young man greeted. “Can I buy you a drink?”

The beer was served to him at this exact moment. Gavin laughed.

“It’s alright,” he said while grasping by his shoulder the stranger who wanted to leave, discouraged by Gavin’s reaction. “Stay, I’m interested.”

The alcohol and the music did the rest. A lot of alcohol. Gavin had a great time talking to the unknown man who was an easy conversationalist and never tried to contradict him. The more time passed, the more physical contacts between them increased: a little kick, a hand brushing the other’s arm…

The man eventually whispered to Gavin’s ear the nice suggestion that they end the night at his place.

“Sure,” Gavin answered, “but I have to smoke one before going. You keep me company?”

“I can’t stand the smell, sorry,” his partner answered apologetic. “I’ll wait for you inside.”

Gavin accepted right away and left the bar. He had drunk a bit too much and almost let his lighter fall.

The first puff was always the best, the one he’d waited for since a while ago. He coughed a little. _Damned lungs_ , he thought. He briefly remembered Tina, who usually dragged him with her. He had no intention of going running with her anyway. He’d never be as awake or in as good a condition as she needed him to be.

By reflex, he moved away from the pub’s entrance when he saw a police car pass by. He didn’t want to be seen by a coworker. The alley was empty by now. He walked forward.

A red spot of light caught his attention. It didn’t seem to be coming from the buildings around him. He could have sworn it hadn’t been there earlier. He slowly walked towards it, all the while taking a few drags of his cigarette. He couldn’t see anything in the darkness of the night.

“What are you doing?” his future one-night-stand asked.

Wasn’t he supposed to stay inside? Gavin turned around. It wasn’t him.

It was Laura. 

A great, stunning pain pierced his skull and he blacked out.

  
  


Gavin was somewhere… that he did not recognize. From all the places he knew none was so empty and white. Furthermore, he was floating, weightless. He tried to breathe, but the air was thick as molasses and he thought he was suffocating.

He tried to maintain his consciousness awake and move. His limbs did not respond. So he insisted, pulling on his arms as much as he could to force them back in front of him. It hurt. But pain was sharper than any other feelings. It partly woke him.

Gavin opened his eyes. His eyelids weighed tons. He felt like he was moving a body that wasn’t his own. From what he managed to distinguish through the fog invading his head, he was sitting, and his wrists and ankles were probably tied to a chair. A ferrous taste coated his mouth. His head fell heavily on his torso. He inhaled deeply, for real this time, his chin buried in his hoodie. It smelt like tobacco and fabric softener. He felt a little better.

“Hello detective, I see you’re awake.”

An unknown feminine voice was talking to him, resonating in echoes that made it hard to understand.

“Who are you?” Gavin tried to articulate. Unfortunately, only a pathetic whine came out of his mouth.

He saw a green form emerge from the fog and squinted. A blonde silhouette progressively materialized. He would have recognized it anywhere. It was Laura, wearing the beautiful dress she died in, and she was coming towards him.

He vaguely remembered… the investigation, the bar, the young man… He had gone out and had been knocked out. The alcohol in his blood did not help him get a grip on himself at all.

She squatted down in front of him and held his face between her delicate fingers. The contact made him shiver. Her immaculate hand was icy.

“You need to be clearer when you talk, so I can understand you,” she said really softly.

Gavin gathered his strength to separate every syllable. “You are not Laura. Who are you?”

The fake Laura smiled and stood up.

“I’m the android you’re looking for, of course. And you, you are preventing me from finishing what I have to do.”

A streak of fear paralyzed Gavin for a moment. If the assassin had succeeded in kidnapping him, what would she do to him now?

“Why did you bring me here?” Gavin coughed painfully.

The android seemed to have read his thoughts. “Don’t you worry,” she whispered. “I don’t intend to kill you. You just came too close to me. I’m merely taking precautions.”

Close? On the contrary, he’d never managed to get a strong lead. Gavin tried to gather his thoughts.

Apparently, he had unknowingly come near the fake Laura. The android had most likely spied upon the genuine Laura. She must have watched him for a few days too, if not weeks. Was it by chance, when crossing the city to forget about his failures, that he had finally progressed? Fuck… What rotten luck.

Panic won him over. Gavin struggled to untie his bindings, in vain.

“Please, you won’t die here, stay calm. You’ll only make things worse. I only ask for one favor: stop the investigation.”

“N-Never,” he stammered. “Why should I make an exception?” He saw her red lips twist into a mocking smile.

“You’re not in the right place to negotiate, Detective Reed. But I swear that once I’m done,” she said, putting her hand on his lap, “I’ll disappear and never cause trouble again.”

A piercing pain stabbed him and he couldn’t help a groan. The lights of the underground blinded him and the temptation to sleep to forget the pain was strong. He shouldn’t yield yet.

“Stop resisting, I beg you,” the android repeated. “You have hurt yourself enough by struggling.”

“I didn’t knock myself out,” he laughed wryly.

“I wouldn’t have been able to talk to you without resorting to force, you’d have sent me to jail without letting me say anything.”

“And I still intend to.”

The fake Laura grasped his hair and brutally raised his head.

“Are you certain?” she breathed.

Gavin laughed in her face. If he were to get out of this hell alive, he’d do everything to make her repay for her crimes a hundredfold.

She shook her head, almost disappointed.

“Right. If you won’t give up, then there’s nothing more I can do. But I don’t intend to flee. I won’t be as magnanimous next time our paths cross.” And she took out of her pocket a little glass syringe. 

“I have to go.” she said tapping the needle. “I won't leave you here, of course, but I’d like not to disturb anyone.”

“What…”

She put her hand on his eyes so he wouldn’t see the needle driving into his lap. He felt a slight heat running along his veins. He couldn’t resist long. The world blurred again.

“Don’t worry… Don’t worry… “ he heard in the distance. “You’ll just sleep a bit.”

All sensation left him like Gavin was wrapped in cotton. 

In the precinct, RK900 was absorbed in a tedious list recapitulating the becomeings of the deviants filed by the police during the revolution era. He had redone his calculations dozens of times. But he didn’t manage to eliminate enough data. He knew the list was far from being complete. And without knowing the crime motive, he couldn’t tighten the noose. He knew it was pointless to look for the culprit this way, but without new directives, there wasn't much he could do apart from hoping destiny would help him find them.

Where were they? If they only wanted to kill Laura, they’d be already far away. But there was a chance it wasn’t the case. They had put in a lot of efforts. They had failed to find some elements after Laura’s death. But this information, was it the motive for their crime? Maybe they wanted to make it disappear on the contrary, to avoid getting caught.

“RK900?” the voice of the receptionist android resonated in his head.

“I’m listening,” he answered right away, getting his reflexion out of his head.

“I have Owen's bar manager on the phone,” she explained. “He found an unconscious man in an alley near his establishment. He was hurt apparently.”

“Couldn’t a night patrol on site go write the incident report?” RK900 answered, not understanding why the message was addressed to him.

“I believed you would have liked to be told first. According to his description and the badge he found on him, it’s Detective Reed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Zawelt, always reading my work and bringing me constructive criticism.  
> It was hard for me to start writing this fic again. But now my mind has become clearer and I can take time to do it. I want to finish it!
> 
> Your kudos and especially your comments gave me so much energy to keep writing, thank. I read them all, please keep writing them!  
> You can say hi on tumblr if you want, I also draw! [ Caffeinated Jimmie ](https://caffeinatedjimmie.tumblr.com)
> 
> Next chapter: Encounter 2.0


	7. Encounter 2.0

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IN THE LAST CHAPTER:  
> Because of their fight, Fowler forbid Gavin and RK900 to further investigate as long as they would not settle things. Gavin yet kept searching secretely and alone. Unfortunately, the android he was looking for had outrun him and he fell into their trap...

“I believed you would have liked to be told first. According to his description and the badge we found on him, it’s Detective Reed.”

RK900 rushed out of the precinct as soon as he heard the words from the android receptionist. He was overwhelmed by bleak thoughts. He didn’t hesitate a single second and ran to borrow a police car.

What had happened to Gavin! He wasn’t the kind to surrender to his enemies. How bad had he been hurt? Did he need emergency care? Who’d attacked him?

Did he even want his help...?

The idea paralyzed him for a moment as he had just buckled up, ready to start the car. It wasn’t the right time to think about that. Whatever. The detective required anybody’s help.

He slid silently through the town, not bothered at all by the speed limits and the red lights. Weaving between vehicles and pedestrians was a piece of cake for an android as sophisticated as he was. This way he saved a few precious minutes on the time he had initially calculated, and got to the Owen’s bar without problems. The first rays of the sun were vaguely lighting up the sky. The pale glows near the horizon were bringing the night to an end.

When RK900 entered the bar, he spotted Gavin immediately, positioned on a bench seat by the owner who was carefully monitoring him. The detective was quite the sad sight. Gavin’s eyes were barely open and he seemed half conscious, but the right side of his face was covered with a black eye. RK900 could discern a few other bruises where his skin was visible. His leather jacket was scuffed from having been dragged over the ground.

When he saw the android coming closer, Gavin tried to speak but only a bare hint of his voice came out of his mouth. RK900 understood his words by reading on his lips.   
“NO! Beat it, you fucking android! I won’t be fooled again!”

Gavin became agitated when he saw him again as RK900 walked towards him, but the barman forced him to stay calm. The android thought he understood. “Fooled again” pointed out a chance that the incident responsible for his injuries had been a trap. And if Gavin had been able to distinguish an android walking in the bar from a human, he should have been able to recognize his face too and understand he risked nothing.

Had the detective crossed paths with Laura’s doppelganger?

RK900 slowed his movements, his palms open in front of him to show his harmlessness and talked softly.

_ Recommended parameters: usage of the name to ensure recognition and a mental securing. A reference to private data will encourage identity detection from the other party. _

“Gavin, it’s me, RK900. The android you’re thinking of could never pass for me. I am after all quite a large toaster, as you like to say.”

Gavin seemed to finally recognize him and calmed down.

RK900 nodded at the owner, asking to talk to him in private for a moment. He showed him his police ID and asked to stay alone with Gavin for the time being. The man encouraged him to do so. The android then returned to the detective’s side.

“I’m going to examine you, alright?” he warned him.

Gavin nodded imperceptibly. He had started to become aware of his surroundings again. Every inch of his body was hurting as if he had slept directly on the ground in a weird position all night long. He didn’t remember how he had gone back to the Owen’s, but the vaguely familiar environment and the presence of RK900 were a lot more reassuring compared to the last place he had woken up in.

RK900 sat next to Gavin and began to scan him. His heartbeat had decreased since he’d arrived, he must have been less stressed but still seemed feverish. The android then probed his body with care. He took his wrist and pulled his sleeve to check out his arm. The android’s touch made Gavin groan and he sat further back on the bench.

“It’s going to be ok,” he promised. “Trust me.”

Gavin let him do as he wished. At the moment, he wasn’t thinking about how it was  _ the  _ RK900, the android he usually hated so much, who was examining him. He felt safe between the hands of a true ally and that made him forget some of the pain. He let himself go limp as a ragdoll. 

RK900 mentally traced back the various paths that could have led to the apparition of such bruises on Gavin’s body. He saw traces of struggle, falls, and swings that the detective must have given back. Considering the state of his knuckles, Gavin had managed to land at least another hit. But most likely to a wall as there was a bit of plaster stuck there.

Still, even though the detective looked in a pretty poor shape, with a more thorough investigation, the android realized not a single bone had been broken. A blow had made his nose bleed - a bit of blood remained though the barman had cleaned his face - but it wasn’t broken either. All in all, his attacker had hit him in a calculated and precise manner. The way they had intended it to give pain rather than physically hurt and restrained their strength resounded like a threat in RK900’s mind.

“Look what I can do.”

That was how he perceived the intention behind Gavin’s attack. The thought was alarming.

Resuming his inspection, the android brushed the corner of Gavin’s mouth and tested a drop of his saliva. His body was phasing out a huge amount of alcohol but most of it was already metabolized. However, unexpected traces of a sedative were left.

“Gavin, you’ve been drugged,” he noted.

“Oh yeah, crap… that’s true,” he answered in a slurring speech.

Gavin dimly remembered the cold metal of a needle, then the void he fell in before opening his eyes in the bar. The alcohol he’d consumed during the night wasn’t helping him gather his memories.

RK900 took his face in his hands and checked his pupils. They weren’t abnormally dilated. After a few reaction tests to luminous stimuli, he concluded that only a few molecules remained in him and that Gavin was not in danger anymore. 

“It was just a tranquilizer, fortunately. Mixed with alcohol, its effect was somewhat amplified,” he told Gavin. “You mostly have a few bruises, nothing serious. I’ll send you to the hospital anyway, to double-check my analysis. I am no doctor, and so I fear my diagnos-”

“No,” Gavin interrupted him, suddenly on his guard as he heard those words. “I refuse, I hate that place. Won’t get within a mile of it.”

“Gavin, this is for the sake of your health.”

“You said that I’m fine,” he continued. “I don’t feel that bad myself, I’ve had worse, so unless you want me to get a panic attack there…”

And to demonstrate the truth of his statement, he jumped up off the chair. The sudden drop in blood pressure coupled to some pain in his leg made him stumble. RK900 caught him and sat him down. 

“You also have a sprained ankle…”

Gavin struggled, still. RK900 couldn’t bring himself to drag the man to the hospital. 

“Allow me at least to accompany you back home,” the android suggested. “I’ll be able to tend further to you there. And if I come with you, I’ll manage to get your statement and save you the nuisance of remembering all that tomorrow morning.”

Gavin looked him straight in the eye. Two icy pearls were peering back at him, a concerned look in them that Gavin had never seen before. He didn’t feel like going back home alone immediately, so he nodded in agreement. RK900 got up before him and lent him his shoulder to help him walk, which Gavin promptly accepted.

The owner had come back in the room when he had heard movement. The android thanked him warmly for the care he provided to Gavin.

“That’s alright, anytime!”

“Could you please write down an exact statement of what happened, as soon as possible?” RK900 asked. “How you found him, any unusual patrons you saw last night maybe…”

“Of course. Oh, by the way, I found a cellphone in the alley yesterday, might be your colleague’s. If you could take it to the lost and found for me, that’d be much simpler.”

RK900 quickly figured out it wasn’t Gavin’s phone, but accepted the man’s request anyway. He slipped the phone into an inner pocket and bade him farewell before leaving with his colleague.

  
  


The way back was pretty long. The android took care to drive smoothly so as not to trouble Gavin. The man spoke first.

“Hey, RK, I’m sorry…”

“What for?” RK900 wondered. “Drinking outrageously? Going to a bar is not forbidden by the US Constitution, as far as I know.”

“No, that’s not it.”

Gavin paused a while to manage aligning his words.

“I didn’t stop investigating… secretly. It’s been weeks that I couldn’t let go of the case.”

RK900 hadn’t seen this coming at all. Among the many assumptions he’d had about Gavin, him keeping searching in solo wasn’t one. He resented himself for the way his prejudice had blinded him. The signs had long been present. Of course a human like Tina couldn't have decrypted them yet he had no excuses.

“Only Captain Fowler is concerned by that. I’m not going to report you.”

Gavin sighed.

“Yeah, at least that would be realistic. But I freakin’ met Laura back there.”

RK900 remained silent while Gavin continued. He was so exhausted he wasn’t able to deliver a coherent speech. He tried to describe his night as precisely as he could, but he couldn’t help adding details he had forgotten a few seconds before every so often. Fortunately, it wasn’t a problem for his interlocutor gifted with a perfect memory, who could build a proper speech out of the snippets Gavin mumbled.

It sowed many interrogations in RK900’s mind. Did Gavin manage to find a solid lead all by himself? Even if he didn’t intend to, it was impressive. And what about the doppelganger? How long had the fake Laura been watching him? He would have to set extra precautions.

But most importantly, he hadn’t been vigilant enough and the detective had been hurt thanks to his carelessness. And what about his failure in making the investigation progress?

RK900 knew very well whining was no solution. It’d be a mere waste of energy. Gavin was hurt but wasn’t going that bad physically. And considering his restrictions, he couldn’t have done much more after the sanction Fowler gave them. The first rays of the morning sun already brushed the road. It was high time the night was over.

The first thing that struck Gavin when he woke up was the lack of the usual  _ BEEP BEEP BEEP _ he despised hearing. Then he remembered it wasn’t Monday so no hurry. The second thing that struck him was the sharp pain that passed through him as he tried to turn quickly followed by a very uncomfortable sensation overall, as if a truck had run him over during the night… He finally succeeded in sitting in his bed, with great difficulty. His arms were covered with bruises and his ankle was kept straight by a perfectly tight bandage.

Gavin rubbed his eyes and tried to remember last night. Some images came to him in a flash, in a weird order. There was a luminous void, two thin, ivory-white hands on his face, a young man offering him a drink, blue eyes full of worry, blows, Laura in her green dress, a violet neon sign, Tina watching him… 

Tina really was standing in the doorway. Speaking of, when she saw he was awake she rushed towards him and barely kept herself from jumping on him at the last second.

“Gavin! Holy fuck! You don’t know how scared I was!”

“Shut up, my head’s killing me,” Gavin muttered, his ears ringing.

“Oh, sorry” she said, this time not as loud.

She sat on the side of the bed and gently brushed his hair.

“How are you feeling?”

“Kinda feels like I was flattened by a tank except that… I hardly remember what happened to me to be honest. Might need help to clarify some points. Was it you who carried me back home last night?”

“Oh no, I did nothing. Your favorite robot took care of you. He just kicked me out of bed so I could watch after you once he put you to sleep.”

Gavin had a vision of himself being held in a princess carry by the tall android and laid on his bed, changed and tended to everywhere with bandages, disinfectant and ointment before his best friend arrived and replaced RK900. He must have fallen asleep right after. His ears turned crimson red at the memory, but he tried to keep a poker face in front of Tina.

“What time is it anyway?” he asked innocently.

“About 2 pm.”

“Oh crap… At least tell me Fowler doesn’t know anything about this.”

“Gav,” Tina kindly said while brushing his hair back, “of course he knows. How would the android know otherwise… And you won’t be going back to work tomorrow in this state.”

Gavin brought his knees towards his chest and buried his head in the blanket in despair.

“There’s no way I won’t be fired this time!” he explained to Tina who was surprised by his reaction. “He’ll know what I’ve done…”

He peered at his friend who had obviously been waiting for answers for weeks.

“I may have not acted like he ordered me.... I started investigating alone,” he said in a breath.

“Wait what, that’s what made you disappear overnight?!”

Tina was more aghast than angry, but still pondered the revelation before she concluded:

“I’m not happy with you for not telling me anything, but I can forgive you. You being attacked by an android murderer in a back alley is good for your case.”

Gavin felt a cold sweat run down his back at the mention of the android. He had more or less unconsciously eclipsed this part of the night in his mind. Tina went on with comforting him.

“I phoned Fowler this morning. And I swear firing you has never been on his agenda. He obviously suspected something but he doesn’t really want you sacked either in the end. Either way, you’re going to take as much rest as you need and you’ll come back in a week good as new, and later if you need it.”

Gavin nodded slowly.

“What about the tincan?”

“He asked for updates about his favorite meatball,” Tina retorted while pressing her forefinger on Gavin’s nose before realizing she was hurting him. ”You don’t know how worried he was! I’ve never seen him that unsettled, ever.”

Gavin’s memories of the night weren’t just the product of his imagination then. He wouldn’t have imagined the android being so concerned over him behind his stiff mask. He feared he had misjudged his silence during the last weeks… Well, at least soon he would apologize once and for all. And he had to thank another few people too.

“Thanks for staying, Tina.”

“It’s okay. You can  _ always _ rely on me, y’know.”

“Can you get me a cup of coffee then? Please,” he begged. “I only ask for one thing.”

Mockingly, Tina stood up and stuck her tongue out at him.

“Nope, not good for your blood pressure. You can ask the doc, you have an appointment tonight!”

Gavin cursed Tina and went back under the bed sheets.

  
  


RK900 spent the following days at the precinct. Not once did he go back to his place. It had to be mentioned that his company accomodations were more of an upgraded storage room that Cyberlife was legally compelled to give him. All in all, nothing could make him think of the room like a place to live in.

He knew he shouldn't worry too much about Gavin, that he would heal just fine, and that while he was away Tina would do her best to cheer him up, better than he could ever do. A few weeks ago, he wouldn’t have felt such a sting in his heart. Was it that thing Daryl had explained during his maintenance at Cyberlife? His programs’ evolution? RK900 wondered if it was worth it. The distance between the detective and him would have prevented this kind of pain. But who else would have picked him up that night? Would he have accepted assistance from other cops?

To spend the time and distract his mind, RK900 began tidying up Gavin’s desk from top to bottom. He sorted and arranged the files that had been waiting for weeks to be classified, reordered all the drawers and realigned the objects strewn over the table. Staring at a perfectly cleaned desk had a real calming effect on androids. When objects were perfectly arranged, the environment analysis used much less RAM.

The rumor of the incident spread across the precinct like wildfire, and Gavin’s lasting absence merely reinforced it. Fowler called RK900 in his office about the incident of course, but didn’t insist much. The android tried to remain as elusive as possible so he wouldn't betray the detective. The main threat now was Laura’s double still roaming in Detroit, and the risk that it would attack one of them.

On the third day, Connor, who had well noticed RK900’s little game, decided to try approaching him. While his successor dusted the computer screen for the thousandth time, Connor slithered right behind him.

“I heard… about Gavin.”

RK900 turned around, an inquisitive look on his face. He’d felt the android approach a while ago, so he hadn’t been surprised to see him come to him.

“As did everyone else,” Connor added with a motion of his hand towards the few police officers watching them. They looked away self-consciously. “Your LED has been yellow for several days already, I’m worried for your mental health.”

RK900 looked away a moment. He didn’t really want to talk to Connor.

“RK900. I know what it feels like. I’ve gone through this before. It is not because there have been mistakes in your path that you should put it down to a failure.”

RK900 turned back to look at Connor. He was a technologically inferior prototype of an android, yet RK900 could see now in which ways Connor could be better than him. He had something more and RK900 couldn’t guess what it was, that thing the engineers had not designed in him. Was it by choice or by ineptitude?

“What makes you so different from me?” he asked, at a loss.

“Experience. My own mistakes and errors, too. I did not befriend Hank as soon as I met him,” he pointed out. “I knew nothing of the world, at the time, except for what Cyberlife had thought useful for me.”

“So you think now that you can help me?” RK900 inquired, a slightly mocking smile on his lips.

Connor knew very well that this counterpart of his was not hostile as he had once been, and smiled back to him. RK900 rolled up the cuff of his jacket above his right wrist and extended a flawless hand towards him, palm facing up. They both knew what the gesture meant. 

“I am truly very glad that you finally trust me,” Connor laid his own hand down into the other android’s.

RK900 had never yet participated in an open connection with another android. It seemed his mind was slowly melting into Connor’s body, just as he felt foreign data flow into him. Yet, this intrusion was in no way unpleasant. It was as though he had never been separate from Connor’s mind. There was no “him” anymore, just a single conscious spread over two androids like a web of invisible thoughts. Their memories spilled into them at the speed of light and RK900 felt possessed by a stream of unfamiliar sensations. He was surprised by the sudden bouts of pain related to his predecessor undergoing a body loss, and further yet by the presence of lasting, warm emotions. The data was, without a doubt, not his.

Connor removed his hand first to end the link. RK900 hesitated a split second, tempted to keep their connection going, but he pulled himself together and withdrew his own hand, hoping Connor hadn’t noticed anything. Their LEDs stayed red a few more seconds as they absorbed the feedback. Connor spoke first.

“I’ve tried my best to never get damaged and reset,” he explained, “yet Cyberlife would have repaired me as often as they’d have needed to, once upon a time. But losing my body, that’s forfeiting a part of me, part of my continuity. I think that’s what makes humans and androids so different, I know this painfully well now.”

“Cyberlife doesn’t want me to walk the same path as you,” RK900 understood thanks to Connor’s memories. “They need me to hold you in contempt, so that I can never free myself from them.”

Connor agreed with his analysis.

“You managed to avoid getting reset since you arrived here. I hadn’t expected that. That is… exceptional. This man, Daryl, possesses great moral qualities.”

“Connor, don’t get it wrong,” RK900, who felt that Connor was about to go off on a tangent, interrupted him. “See, my main issue isn’t with Cyberlife right now, but rather with the fact that Detective Reed might have died because of me.”

“That’s false.”

“If I had been more careful, I wouldn’t have let him investigate all alone. During weeks he spent his nights attempting to solve the case, alone, with barely any means. He got hurt, and for what?”

“Considering the data you had, you couldn’t predict Gavin’s decisions and the android’s presence there.”

“I guess so…”

It felt nice, reassuring to hear someone’s evaluation of the happenings based on the same memories and a different perspective than him.

“Gavin could have been seriously injured without you noticing because he wouldn’t go to the hospital, and you prevented that thanks to your analysis. All in all, this decision was the best you could have made. Hindsight is irrelevant.”

RK900 didn’t answer. He acknowledged this idea better but still a hint of guilt wouldn’t leave him.

“I don’t want him to come back after his recovery just to see that nothing’s changed,” he admitted. “He’s made considerable efforts. He felt sorry for hitting me. In turn I need to make some progress with him.”

He quickly glanced at Gavin’s desk, all tidied up. It felt empty, almost new, as though no one had ever sat there. 

“I’ll start over, do things properly this time,” he decided. “I’ll begin by getting rid of my label. It’s a bit of a mouthful, too much so to stay in use.”

Connor was very surprised by the initiative but also very enthusiastic.

“So how will you name yourself?” he asked. “Let me suggest something. What do you think of Conrad? Or Richard?”

“I don’t wish for a human name,” his colleague cut him off. “I’m not ready for that…”

“Then what about Nines?” Connor offered, amused by his desire. “It’s a shorter form of your current designation. Nice, isn’t it?”

RK900 looked at Connor, who was gently smiling at him, and glanced one last time at the model name written on his jacket. Then he moved a hand over the insignia and it changed immediately. 

“Nines…” he repeated. “Sounds nice.”

_ Update. Identity = Nines.  _

  
  


Tina stayed with him three days to help Gavin both mentally and physically. She had dragged him to the doctor’s office despite his reluctance. The practitioner had confirmed RK900’s expertise and prohibited him from drinking coffee for over two weeks, nevermind smoking. 

Gavin finally got over his midnight encounter. His body recovered quickly, his bruises went through all colors of the rainbow before most had finally disappeared a week later. His sprained ankle also got fixed properly.

Gavin mostly retained fear in him from the experience. Much fear. He was scared of what Fowler would reproach him, scared about what his former partner might have said about him, scared about the stares when he would come back. But worse still, he constantly felt he was being spied upon, or rather like he could be spied upon where he was and the slightest unusual noise or unexpected reflection of light drove him on his guard. The darkness reminded him of the back alley, the light reminded him of the cave. Alone in his apartment, he felt bad. Thankfully, Tina came after work to have dinner with him and spend the night on the couch, which always immediately blew his worries away.

Finally, after a week, he had just one wish: to go back to work and be productive. On monday morning, he notified Fowler that he’d be back. With a mail, so that he wouldn't have to confront him directly by phone. He hesitated a lot, but ended up also sending a message to RK900.

When Gavin entered the police station, he received a few warm words from his colleagues, who proved themselves much more empathetic than usual, and wished him to get better quickly. He was pleasantly surprised by this slice of social contact. The anxiety tended to make him believe the world was worse than it really was.

As he walked further into the main room, he wondered at not seeing the usual bright, white uniform of his android partner. He was usually quite conspicuous, even from afar, and Gavin was pretty sure he would be here after getting his text message. It was only once he’d reached his desk that he recognized him. 

RK900 was waiting for him, a large steaming cup of coffee in his hands. Of course he wasn’t about to drink it himself so the coffee had to be.. for Gavin? When he saw him, the android displayed a slight smile that was quite unusual. But what had kept Gavin from noticing him from across the room was that he no longer wore his hideous high-collared jacket but instead a perfectly ironed black shirt, the cuffs rolled up to his elbows. Only remained a luminous blue armband and a small badge on his chest, which no longer showed his model name. Gavin was amazed by the extreme beauty of this state-of-the-art android, once well-hidden by awful attires. 

“Morning…” he ventured, intimidated by this unscheduled change.

“Good morning Detective Reed,” he answered, business-as-usual. “I am the android sent by Cyberlife to work with you on the Vanderbloom case.”

Gavin, astonished by that play, burst into laughter unwillingly.

“What are you talking about?” he breathed out between two guffaws. “You burned a circuit, or—?”

The android looked at him slightly vexed that he’d interrupted him in his speech and resumed.

“I’m Nines. And I am thrilled to be working with you, detective.”

Gavin was dumbfounded. He hadn’t expected such a welcome. On the contrary he’d spent hours wondering if the android would mock him at his return, and if he’d ever be able to talk to him normally. In the space of a few sentences, RK900 had given him the opportunity to erase everything, and to start over from scratch - or almost - their relationship. No, his name was Nines now. 

“Nines, Nines,” he repeated until it entered his thick skull. “Drop the formalities and call me Gavin then, that’ll be more fair.”

“Well-received, detective.”

Gavin gently knocked on his head to shut him up and stole the cup of coffee. 

“Thanks for the drink,” he said, eager to savor the long-awaited beverage. 

It was hard to drink thanks to the huge smile sticking to his lips unintendedly. Nines was also very happy with Gavin’s reaction. Their last doubts disappeared into thin air under his laughter. 

From their own desk, Connor and Hank observed the scene without a hint of stealth. Gavin met their eyes without meaning to and blushed red. 

“He made a lot of efforts for you, detective!” Connor mouthed with no shame.

Hank forced him to go back to work and they both walked away.

“So, where were we?” Nines asked to change the subject. 

“Oh, before that, you did save my life so I shall thank you,” Gavin pointed out. “Thank you. I mean it.”

Nines’ LED whirled a few seconds before returning to its pretty blue color. 

“More fright than harm in the end. For you and me both. I don't deserve much.”

“Just accept the compliment, will you?”

Gavin hit the android’s shoulder and regretted it.  _ “The jacket might have cushioned the impact last time,” _ he thought.  _ “Or I might just still be injured.” _

“I was happy that someone came for me. And look it’s not all bad, no one stole anything from me despite it all!” he exclaimed. ”Neither my wallet nor my phone.”

“Your phone…” Nines realized. “The phone! I had totally forgotten about that. The Owen’s owner gave me a lost phone on the evening I came to get you. I put it in one of your desk drawers.”

“Really?”

Gavin leaned over to search the piece of furniture, found the aforementioned phone and handed it to Nines.

“This one?”

The android nodded and spinned the object between his fingers. He hadn’t taken the time yet to examine it in detail. It was quite a recent model, well protected by a black phone case with a flap. He tried to turn it on but the battery was empty. Then he noticed a detail that should have struck him: next to the power button, there was a small trace of teal nail polish.

“Gavin…” he whispered astounded, showing him the device. 

Gavin recognized the blueish color on the spot. It had haunted his thought for a long time. It was the precise hue Laura had painted her nails with on the evening of her death.

“Holy crap… What is this doing here? Where does this thing come from?”

“The owner said he found it in front of the bar. He naturally thought it was a customer that had lost it.”

Nines turned the phone and removed the case. He laid his palm where the battery was and transmitted some of his energy to the phone to turn it on.

The lock screen appeared a few seconds after. Gavin saw very clearly it was a photo of Laura with her fiancé Dale.

“Wait, is this what we’ve been looking for the whole time? And does that mean the other android dropped it in the alley?”

Nines quickly computed the chance for such an event to happen.

“No, that would be too lucky,” he concluded. “Chance doesn’t rule everything. You crossing paths with her was already too much of an unfortunate coincidence which drove her to act. But I doubt she would have made such a clumsy mistake after taking so many precautions to hide.”

“Well, let’s see what’s inside then. We might find an answer.”

Nines’ LED turned yellow for a good minute. He turned and returned the phone every way possible and gazed at the screen’s surface with interest. When he was done thinking, he entered the code 0307. Nothing happened. He added four more numbers and the phone unlocked.

“What did you write in here?” Gavin asked with admiration.

“The most likely code that could be. Dale’s birth date. Even you would have found it. I hope very much your passwords aren’t the same kind.”

Gavin had never been the kind of cheesy lover to put his partner’s birthday as a password. None of them had deserved it anyway. He changed the subject.

“So, what do you do with that? You send it to analysis?”

“I’ll do it myself, it’s much simpler.”

And accompanying his speech with a gesture, Nines connected himself to the device and sunk into its memory. In a blink, he was caught in a twirl of images and letters which made his consciousness flicker. It was a whole chapter of Laura’s life fusioning with him. He probed even deeper, ripping everything that data, even corrupted, could teach him.

A few seconds later, he was done. He saw Gavin looking at him, expectant. Alas, he could conclude nothing but one fact.

“This phone doesn’t teach us anything new.”

Gavin didn’t understand.

“How come?”

“I reviewed the whole phone memory: conversations, photos, contact infos. There was nothing strange in there. If I didn’t know about the case, I would say it belonged to a young woman perfectly in love with a man named Dale, and otherwise quite average apart from that.”

Gavin rubbed his chin, desperately looking for a rational explanation.

“You couldn’t find some piece of useful information even in the deleted data?”

Nines shook his head. Of course he’d already done so.

“That’s impossible…” Gavin sighed. “We can’t have been wrong from the beginning. Laura must have had a lover. It’s… it’s just that she didn’t communicate with him with her phone.”

“I’m still very convinced the lover exists. There is merely no proof where we were expecting it to be. But I am all the more perplexed that we haven’t found it here.”

“If the fake also found the password, no wonder she let us have it. It’s a useless piece of junk for our investigation right now,” he mumbled, hitting his desk in frustration.

“I am sorry,” Nines murmured. “I thought this incident would have at least helped the investigation progress, but it isn’t so.” 

“Hey, it’s not over yet!“ Gavin said, surprised by the dark look on the android’s face. “I can’t fathom stopping on a defeat. There are still plenty of things we must find out. The phone might simply be a red herring.”

“I would have recognized if the android had artificially altered the data.”

“Ok, but she said she wasn’t done either with her goal… So we should be able to get her when she makes a move.”

Nines nodded. With Gavin back, their leads were far from all being depleted.

“As for the motive, I am pretty sure there are some sentimental reasons. It’s the more logical explanation. She resented Laura, and she’s missing something to be fully satisfied. Something is holding her back.”

Gavin wondered. He saw his computer, his reflection on the screen and Nines’ sitting next to him. The first time he’s seen him like this, he had been standing, calmly, far behind him. It was that time they spoke with…

“What is Dale becoming by the way?” he asked. “I haven’t got in touch with him since our last meeting.”

Nines searched quickly in his database.

“He’s still in New-York… He hasn’t come back since his convention. I think Detroit reminds him too much of Laura. His mourning is fresh.”

“Nines!” Gavin understood. ”If there is one fact I know for sure, it's that our culprit wants to stay in Detroit at all cost. Yet there is no event so important that she’d take the risk to stay where she’s wanted. And I am convinced that Dale’s absence is not unrelated.

“If it’s Dale she wishes to meet, he’ll be suspicious of her presence if she goes to him in New York, because now that we’ve met him and talked to him, meeting someone from the past would just draw his attention. But here in Detroit, where he’s always worked, such an encounter would be unremarkable.“

“Nines, Dale has to stay in New York as long as possible.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm getting busier everyday, yet this fic is actively being written!
> 
> RK900 has finally a name. In Zawelt's mind (my dear collaborator), it's Rick. Sorry Zawelt, Nines didn't like it :')  
> Now, the investigation is resumed!  
> It was nice to write about Tina a bit, same for Connor.
> 
> Thanks for reading my fic, I'm doing my best do write the fanfic I'd like to read myself.  
> Don't forget to leave a kudo, or even a comment! I'll always answer.  
> Follow me on Tumblr for more updates and fanart! [ Caffeinated Jimmie ](https://caffeinatedjimmie.tumblr.com)

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to Zawelt who beta-reads the story!
> 
> If you have enjoyed this fic don't forget to say so! Kudos and comments are appreciated.  
> You can also say hi on tumblr: [ Caffeinated Jimmie ](https://caffeinatedjimmie.tumblr.com)


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